June 24, 2009

Federal reform and NC Health Choice

Posted at 9:33 AM by Adam Linker

Policy Advocate Louisa Warren released a great report defending the NC Health Choice program that provides health insurance to children in families that make too much to qualify for Medicaid but not enough to purchase private insurance.

Louisa points out that our state gets generous federal funds for the program and that money helps fuel our local economies and serves as a critical social safety net in hard times.

I would add that for those watching federal health reform, NC Health Choice is critical. Any changes at the federal level are likely to include major infusions of money into our state. If Washington mandates, for example, that we cover all children up to 250 percent of the federal poverty level in Health Choice, and that we cover all adults up to 100 percent of the federal poverty level in Medicaid, the feds will likely fund those expansions for many years.

And the money will rightly come with conditions. It is almost certain that Washington will want North Carolina to get most of the children currently eligible for Health Choice signed up for the program. The state will have to oblige if we want the infusion of federal funds.

If state lawmakers cap the program now then enrollment will plummet. The number of children enrolled in Health Choice will continue to fall even when the program is reopened. That means that the General Assembly will set us back just when we need all of the money we can get.

If we cap enrollment in Health Choice now it is going to take years to undo the damage.

Share and Enjoy:
  • Digg
  • del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Reddit
  • StumbleUpon
  • email

1 Comment

1 Comment Add yours »

siva123 25 Jun 2009 5:46 am

All these tips seem to be pretty good, if one starts to implement. Frankly speaking this is a long process to stop hair from failing. But for a immediate results there are different techniques for hair restoration. The only thing we need to do is to find good surgeon for hair loss treatment

Add your comment

Please keep comments on topic and be respectful of other commenters. Inflammatory comments will be edited or removed.

Search

Previous Posts

  1. Top of the morning
  2. The value of quality early education demonstrated again in Tennessee study
  3. Forum on Latino children draws a crowd
  4. March for immigrant justice and against racial profiling today

NC Policy Watch