Member-only story
Why Medicaid Expansion is a No-Brainer
Based on an Interview with Jenny Gadd, MSW, LCSW
Note: An edited version of this article was published on the Women AdvaNCe blog.
Medicaid expansion is the talk of the town in North Carolina this week with the state legislature coming back into session. But do you really know where your taxpayer dollars that go toward Medicaid are actually spent? We regularly hear from some politicians that public programs like Medicaid waste money or are exploited by fraud, but Medicaid provides essential services for our fellow citizens. Other complaints include the bureaucratic red tape involved with government agencies. However, the way that North Carolina’s Medicaid program is flexing during the COVID-19 pandemic illustrates a government program’s ability to be nimble during an unprecedented situation. Building on the processes created for situations like hurricanes and other natural disasters, Medicaid has extended waivers through Appendix K to make sure that those who qualify for services receive them, no matter where they are receiving services within the state. This flexibility has been essential during the pandemic because situations change on a daily basis and the services are as well. As all citizens and taxpayers, we should be better informed about the way that Medicaid provides benefit to those who qualify for benefits. As one example of how this…
