CHARLOTTE — Mecklenburg County Health Director Dr. Raynard Washington told Mecklenburg County Commissioners the No. 1 thing they can do to increase health care access is to advocate for Medicaid expansion.
The comments came Wednesday afternoon during Mecklenburg County’s budget retreat.
Washington says 124,453 residents are uninsured. If Medicaid expansion passes, more than 64,281 residents will have access to health insurance.
Lawmakers in Raleigh started their two-year session Wednesday. Earlier this month, Speaker Tim Moore and Senate leader Phil Berger told Channel 9 they expect Medicaid expansion to pass.
The health director says Medicaid expansion is the only way the county will be able to ensure that so many people have access to health care.
“The most important policy we can advocate for is Medicaid expansion,” Washington said.
Moore says he isn’t worried about the cost of Medicaid expansion and that he believes the federal government will continue to fund it. Berger says final negotiations are taking place.
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