Good News for Medicaid Expansion!

Earlier this week, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) announced they are able to move forward with plans to launch Medicaid expansion by October 1 if given legislative approval by the NC. General Assembly by September 1.

This news comes at a critical time as it’s expected that nearly 9,000 people in North Carolina will lose health insurance each month until Medicaid expansion goes into effect, according to the Asheville Citizen Times.

PLS Public Benefits Program Director Thomas Lodwick recently spoke with the newspaper for their article, “9K across WNC and state to lose health insurance each month until Medicaid expansion.”

Lodwick and PLS client Amanda Branks spoke to the Citizen Times about the Medicaid coverage gap, an issue that exists because North Carolina has not yet expanded Medicaid. Folks who earn too much to qualify for Medicaid and too little to qualify for Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies are left without health insurance.

Branks is one of the thousands of NC residents who falls into this gap.

Read the article to learn more about Branks’ story and what’s happening with Medicaid.

If you live in Pisgah Legal’s service area and have lost Medicaid coverage, call our main line at 828-253-0406 to apply for help.

For more Medicaid resources, visit NCMEDHELP.org.

Interested in more insight into Medicaid Expansion and what it means for WNC? Read on for details about Pisgah Legal’s upcoming Medicaid Community Forum.