Cooper discusses strides made in 2023 and what to expect this year

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper spoke with Channel 9 about the strides made in 2023 and his goals for his last year as governor.

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Term limits will force the two-term governor to bow out prompting a fierce race for the role.

Channel 9 government reporter Joe Bruno: “At long last Medicaid expansion is in effect. I feel like every time we do these yearend conversations, the topic is, ‘Is this going to be the year of Medicaid expansion?’ Finally, I don’t have to ask you that. So just how are you feeling knowing that this thing that you pushed so hard for, for so long, is finally helping North Carolinians?”

Cooper: “I think one of my best days as governor was in Charlotte on December the first at an Enrollment Center, talking to people who were finally getting health care coverage that they deserved. And Joe, as you know, these are the working people. The people who are looking after our children, after our seniors, stocking our grocery stores, who had been making a little too much money to qualify for Medicaid but not enough to qualify for federal subsidies under the Affordable Care Act, and who can’t afford their own health insurance. These are the people who we’re going to help. Very personal to hear the stories from North Carolinians, who many of them for the first time, have comprehensive health care coverage for the first time in their adult lives. It’s the right thing to do for our state. It’s the right thing to do for our rural hospitals. It’s the right thing to do for our law enforcement that has been having to deal with people with mental illness and substance use disorder and knowing that we’re going to have more providers and more treatment for them. It was a long time coming.”

In the video at the top of this webpage, Bruno’s one-on-one interview with Cooper.

VIDEO: 600K-plus expected to qualify for Medicaid in NC with Friday expansion