EDITORIAL: Conservatives back Medicaid expansion

May 05-- May 5--As some of our state's legislative leaders continue their opposition to expanding Medicaid to cover the "working poor," there's growing evidence that they're out of step with many of their constituents -- even the conservative ones.

The NC Fund for a Conservative Future last week unveiled a statewide poll of registered voters that showed 72 percent support for Medicaid expansion -- which, under the Affordable Care Act, would be underwritten almost entirely by federal money.

House Bill 655 -- NC Health Care for Working Families -- is sponsored by Forsyth County Rep. Donny Lambeth, a Republican, and it continues to gain support. Like Medicaid expansion that has been passed in other Republican-led states, Lambeth's bill includes a work requirement and the payment of small premiums. At a press conference last week, New Hanover Rep. Holly Grange, a Republican co-sponsor of the bill, said, "Hard-working families in North Carolina are being left behind by a broken health care system. These families earn too much to qualify for Medicaid, but not enough to afford private health insurance."

That gap has long been there, and as Grange noted, it affects a quarter of all veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan living in this state.

There has never been a good reason why Medicaid shouldn't be expanded, other than hardball politics. We hope that is no longer the game plan and that this year, the General Assembly moves to help all of its residents maintain good health.

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