Medicaid expansion to begin soon in North Carolina as governor decides to let budget bill become law

By GARY D. ROBERTSON
Associated Press

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Some adults in North Carolina will soon get Medicaid coverage because Gov. Roy Cooper says he’ll let the state budget bill become law. The budget’s enactment was the last step necessary for Medicaid expansion provided in the 2010 federal health care law to states to get implemented in North Carolina. That trigger was contained in a standalone expansion law signed in March by the Democratic governor. The Republican-controlled General Assembly gave final approval to the budget Friday and sent it to Cooper’s desk. Cooper says there are a lot of things in the budget he dislikes but that he will “not allow people who are crying for help to wait any longer.”