Members of the Press:
As the debate over Medicaid expansion continues, it is vital to have an understanding of the real impact of closing North Carolina’s health coverage gap and to dispel false allegations and misinformation. Expanding Medicaid is a common-sense step that would expand access to affordable health coverage for thousands of families while bringing nearly $4 billion into North Carolina’s economy, which would create nearly ten thousand jobs and help rural hospitals remain open.
Thirty-seven states (including Washington DC), with bipartisan leaders, have already expanded Medicaid and are now receiving funding that could be coming to North Carolina. Across the state, health care and business leaders have called on the General Assembly to take action this year to close the coverage gap.
In the face of public support and momentum along with overwhelming evidence for the need to expand Medicaid, critics have resorted to false and misleading attacks that independent experts have said are just plain wrong. See below for the facts on Medicaid expansion.
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Myths vs Facts on Medicaid Expansion |
1 Frean, Molly, Jonathan Gruber, and Benjamin Sommers. “Premium Subsidies, the Mandate, and Medicaid Expansion: Coverage Effects of the Affordable Care Act.” NBER Working Paper No. 22213, December 2016.
2 McMorrow, Stacey et al. “Uninsurance Among Young Adults Continues to Decline, Particularly in Medicaid Expansion States.” Health Affairs 34(4), April 2015.
3 Decker, Sandra, Brandy Lipton, and Benjamin Sommers. “Medicaid Expansion Coverage Effects Grew in 2015 with Continued Improvements in Coverage Quality.” Health Affairs 36(5), May 2017.
4 Frean, Molly, Jonathan Gruber, and Benjamin Sommers. “Premium Subsidies, the Mandate, and Medicaid Expansion: Coverage Effects of the Affordable Care Act.” NBER Working Paper No. 22213, December 2016.
5 Decker, Sandra, Brandy Lipton, and Benjamin Sommers. “Medicaid Expansion Coverage Effects Grew in 2015 with Continued Improvements in Coverage Quality.” Health Affairs 36(5), May 2017.
6 ibid
7Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, 42 U.S.C. § 18001 (2010).
8 Wishner, Jane and Rachel Burton. “How Have Providers Responded to the Increased Demand for Health Care Under the Affordable Care Act?” The Urban Institute, November 2017.
9 “2018 Ohio Medicaid Group VIII Assessment: A Follow‐Up to the 2016 Ohio Medicaid Group VIII Assessment.” The Ohio Department of Medicaid, August 2018.
10 Tipirneni, Renuka et al. “Primary Care Access Before and After Medicaid Expansion Under the ACA.” University of Michigan Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation, July 2015.
11 Wishner, Jane and Rachel Burton. “How Have Providers Responded to the Increased Demand for Health Care Under the Affordable Care Act?” The Urban Institute, November 2017.
12 Shin, Peter at al. “Health Center Patient Trends, Enrollment Activities, and Service Capacity: Recent Experience in Medicaid Expansion and Non-Expansion States.” Kaiser Family Foundation, December 2015.
13 Searing, Adam et al. “Beyond the Reduction in Uncompensated Care: Medicaid Expansion Is Having a Positive Impact on Safety Net Hospitals and Clinics.” Georgetown University Center for Children and Families, June 2016.
14 Doran, Will. “NC Gov. Roy Cooper on Medicaid expansion in North Carolina: ‘You're already paying for it.’” PolitiFact North Carolina, January 2017.
15 Sommers, Benjamin and Jonathan Gruber. “Federal Funding Insulated State Budgets from Increased Spending Related to Medicaid Expansion.” Health Affairs 36(5), May 2017.
16 Cross-Call, Jesse. “Medicaid Expansion Continues to Benefit State Budgets, Contrary to Critics’ Claims.” Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, October 2018.
17ibid
18 ibid
19 ibid
20 Hall, Mark. “Do States Regret Expanding Medicaid?” The Brookings Institution, March 2018.
21 Rodolico, Jack. “Shifting Tone, Sununu Says Medicaid Expansion Yields ‘Great Results.’” February 2017.
22 Harris, Meyer. “Senators Consider Killing Medicaid Expansion That Helps Residents from Their Drug-Torn States.” Modern Healthcare, May 2017.
23 Valley, Jackie. “Considered Key Swing Vote, Heller Comes Out Against Senate Health Care Overhaul Bill.” The Nevada Independent, June 2017.
24 Oosting, Jonathan. “Snyder Fights for Medicaid Plan in Obamacare Repeal.” The Detroit News, January 2017.