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Statement

North Carolina Moms Cheer Medicaid Expansion, Taking Effect in the State Today

December 1, 2023
Maternal Health, Health Care, North Carolina

Lisa Lederer, 202/371-1996

Statement of Felicia Burnett, the North Carolina-based National Director for Health Care at MomsRising, the online and on-the-ground organization of more than one million mothers and their families, including 47,000 in North Carolina, on Medicaid expansion taking effect in the state today:

“Today begins a welcome new chapter for North Carolina families, who will be healthier and stronger now that lawmakers in the state have finally expanded Medicaid. The state’s moms applaud the fact that 600,000 North Carolinians who have been stuck in the state’s coverage gap, some for most of their adult lives, will finally have access to health coverage and care. Even more North Carolinians will benefit indirectly as coverage improves for people living in rural communities, race-based health disparities begin to close, maternal and infant health improve, and access to mental health and substance abuse services expands.

“Everyone deserves access to health insurance coverage and health care. Medicaid expansion will save lives, and save money, for the state. Now, North Carolina moms look to lawmakers to address other pressing issues, including making child care affordable, adopting a comprehensive state paid family and medical leave program, and protecting the rights of our immigrant neighbors and our access to abortion care.”

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MomsRising.org is an on-the-ground and online grassroots organization of more than a million people who are working to increase family economic security, stop discrimination against women and moms, and build a nation where businesses and families can thrive. Established in 2006, MomsRising and its members are organizing and speaking out to improve public policy and to change the national dialogue on issues that are critically important to America’s families, including criminal justice reform, immigration policy reform, and gun safety. MomsRising is working for paid family and medical leave, affordable, high quality childcare and early learning, and for an end to the wage and hiring discrimination which penalizes women — particularly moms and women of color — and so many others. MomsRising advocates for access to healthy food for all kids, health care for all, earned sick days, and breastfeeding rights so that all children can have a healthy start. MomsRising maintains a Spanish language website: www.MamásConPoder.org. Sign up online at www.MomsRising.org — and follow us on our blog, and on Twitter and Facebook.