ROCKINGHAM — A group of N.C. House Democrats including Rep. Scott Brewer voiced their support Wednesday for House Bill 1040, titled Healthcare for Working North Carolinians, which seeks to expand medicaid to cover those who’ve lost their jobs — and, consequently, their employer-sponsored healthcare coverage — during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Brewer, a Rockingham resident who represents Richmond, Montgomery and Stanly counties, said the bill “will do more for health care in rural communities like mine than any other policy proposal currently on the table.”

The bill provides benefits to individuals in the Medicaid coverage gap, which is present in states that did not go forward with Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act. Individuals in the coverage gap don’t meet Medicaid’s pre-ACA qualifications, and they’re also too poor to qualify for government-subsidized insurance through the ACA.

North Carolina is one of 14 states that haven’t adopted Medicaid expansion; HB 1040 calls for Medicaid to be expanded in a fashion similar to what 37 states have already done.

The bill provides Medicaid coverage for individuals with modified adjusted gross incomes up to 133% of the federal poverty level.

“… providing Medicaid coverage for essential workers with incomes up to 133% of the federal poverty level will allow the State to draw down millions of federal funds with a 90% federal medical assistance percentage,” the bill reads in part.

Representatives claimed the bill will help hundreds of thousands of workers who’ve lost their jobs because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“As of right now, an estimated 311,000 North Carolinians have lost their employer-sponsored health insurance due to to the direct impact of COVID-10,” Rep. Sydney Batch said. “Expanding Medicaid would help 160,000 of them access the needed health care, in addition to 500,000 that wouldn’t have qualified prior to COVID-19.”

Brewer said the expansion of Medicaid will give individuals the chance to seek care from a primary care provider at “far less cost” than an emergency room visit. That means less cost for the patient as well as hospitals, which often have to write-off debts owed by uninsured individuals.

Brewer added that the bill would allow hospitals to recover millions of dollars per year in uncompensated care costs. That, the representatives said, will help hospitals keep their doors open.

“In Richmond County, our hospital is our third-largest employer,” Brewer said. “… When a community loses a hospital, it’s like losing one of the biggest manufacturing plants in town. The effects of a struggling hospital can be felt throughout the community.

“This expansion of Medicaid can not only help these rural hospitals stay afloat,” he added, “but help them expand the services they offer to our citizens.”

Next steps

HB 1040 was filed on Tuesday. A couple of the N.C. House Democrats in a Wednesday teleconference said they’d had productive conversations about the bill with their colleagues across the aisle.

“I’ve had conversations with several Republicans in the House,” Rep. Verla Insko said. “Many of the Republicans in the House are pro-Medicaid expansion. They’ve expressed interest in getting it done sometime. They’ve gone 1/10 of the way, or maybe 1% of the way, by agreeing to cover people for treating and testing for COVID-19.”

The most recent action taken on the bill was a referral Tuesday to the House Rules Committee.

“I think we all agree part of the hold-up in getting it done this year will be the Senate,” Insko said.

“I think that we’ll have to have some Republicans (in the House) that are willing to break from their leadership,” Insko added. “We won’t take a vote until we know we have the votes to pass.”

Brewer
https://www.yourdailyjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/web1_House-candidate-Scott-Brewer.jpgBrewer

AP Photo | Gerry Broome Lawmakers, some wearing masks, gather on the House floor as the North Carolina General Assembly opens a new session amid the current COVID-19 coronavirus stay-at-home restrictions in Raleigh on Tuesday.
https://www.yourdailyjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/web1_124933520-d743f0845c664077b227b422d4980bb9.jpgAP Photo | Gerry Broome Lawmakers, some wearing masks, gather on the House floor as the North Carolina General Assembly opens a new session amid the current COVID-19 coronavirus stay-at-home restrictions in Raleigh on Tuesday.

Brandon Tester

Staff Writer

Brandon Tester can be reached at [email protected] or 910-506-3170. Follow him on Twitter @BrandonTester.