North Raleigh Today

Governor Josh Stein and North Carolina Health and Human Services Secretary Dev Sangvai recently engaged with rural health providers and community leaders at a roundtable in Nash County. The discussion focused on the significance of NC Medicaid for rural communities, especially as Congress contemplates reducing funding for the program.

Governor Stein emphasized the importance of NC Medicaid, stating, "NC Medicaid is an innovative and fiscally responsible program that has thrived with bipartisan support and helps keep North Carolinians healthy, especially in rural communities." He highlighted that the program provides health coverage to over 3 million residents, bolstering the stability of rural hospitals.

In many rural areas, over half of the population relies on NC Medicaid for affordable health care coverage. Medicaid also represents a crucial financial lifeline for rural hospitals, many of which are financially unstable. The program ensures hospitals can better manage the costs associated with uninsured patients.

NC Medicaid's reach is extensive, covering 3 million people, including children, older adults, those with disabilities, and working adults. Approximately 230,000 of those in rural communities have benefited through Medicaid expansion.

Secretary Sangvai reiterated the program's impact, noting, "NC Medicaid saves lives by providing preventive screenings, care during and after pregnancy, mental health support, substance use treatment, low cost prescriptions, and so much more."

The event, hosted by UNC Health Nash, comes amid concerns over federal proposals that could reduce Medicaid funding. Such cuts could potentially remove health coverage for 640,000 working North Carolinians and adversely affect rural areas disproportionately. L. Lee Isley, president and CEO of UNC Health Nash, expressed concerns about the potential impacts of these cuts, asserting, "Any cuts to Medicaid or the direct payment programs that reimburse hospitals for their services to these patients would have catastrophic and unintended consequences."

Among the roundtable participants were Reuben Blackwell, CEO of OIC Family Medical Center and member of the Rocky Mount City Council, Dr. Joanna Dauber, DO, a family medicine and primary care provider at UNC Health Nash, and Tyronda “Ty” Whitaker, a regional long-term care ombudsman with the Upper Coastal Plain Council of Governments.