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 could get Medicaid coverage within weeks because Gov. Roy Cooper says he’ll let the state budget bill coming to his desk 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. Cooper said there was a lot of things in the budget he disliked but he would “not allow people who are crying for help to wait any longer.”