Tell NC Lawmakers: Fix HB 696 to Keep North Carolinians on Medicaid

HB 696 funds Medicaid through the end of the fiscal year on June 30, but it also includes incredibly harmful provisions that take coverage away from lawfully present children and pregnant women and impose the harshest possible burdens on the NC Medicaid expansion population.

Legislators have a narrow window to pass a technical corrections bill before people start getting kicked off their health insurance.

The NC Department of Health and Human Services must begin preparing notices by this coming Monday, so this week is a critical time to push for these changes. We encourage you to contact your legislators now to request the following fixes:

Reverse the removal of Medicaid coverage for ~27,000 lawfully present children and pregnant women in North Carolina.

Reverse the mandate that beneficiaries meet work requirements for 3 months before applying for Medicaid or undergoing redetermination; maintain the 1-month standard required by H.R. 1 (the Big Bad Bill) to reduce paperwork barriers to health coverage.

Reverse mandate pushing copayment to the maximum amount, which increases paperwork for doctors and can be a cost barrier creating delays for patients needing care.

The provisions in HB 696 will lead to a rise in uninsured people, which raises health care costs for everyone and puts pressure on providers, especially in rural areas. These fixes are a straightforward way to keep more people covered.

Call and email your legislators and
tell them to fix the Medicaid funding bill to ensure
as many people as possible stay insured and protected.