Last Monday, Governor Cooper signed into law Medicaid expansion following passage in both houses of the General Assembly by large, bi-partisan majorities. Prior to expansion, North Carolina had a “coverage gap” between those who were eligible for Medicaid, and those who earned enough to qualify for federal subsidies. As a practical matter, this served as a disincentive to work, as some people would lose health insurance by taking a job. There is also evidence from other states that all small businesses pay more for health insurance because of this gap. The Chamber spent several months studying this issue in 2022 and endorsed expansion as part of our 2023 legislative agenda. In the past week, state leaders have specifically cited the support of local Chambers of Commerce as being crucial in the passage of the new law. We want to thank Senator Dean Proctor for his support of this bill, and we look forward to continuing to work with our delegation on the remainder of our legislative agenda which focuses on Workforce Development, Infrastructure, Smart Taxation, Appropriate Regulations and Affordable Healthcare.
