Fayetteville town hall touts healthcare expansion

Jul. 26--Tarsha Gunn of Cumberland County said congestive heart failure forced her to stop working, but Gunn said doesn't qualify for the government's Medicaid health insurance to cover her healthcare bills and she doesn't qualify for Affordable Care Act subsidies to help pay for health insurance.

Gunn spoke on Thursday night at a town hall meeting in the Cumberland County Public Library downtown to discuss whether North Carolina should expand the Medicaid health program to several hundred thousand lower income people. The group is in what's known as the "healthcare coverage gap" or "Medicaid gap" that was created when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the part of the Affordable Care Act that required state governments to extend Medicaid coverage to people such as Gunn.

North Carolina's legislature chose not to do so.

Gunn said now she has to make difficult decisions for herself and her two children.

"Without my medication, without Medicaid, without the things that we need, I do have to make choices," Gunn said. "Do I buy food or do I get my medication.

Thursday's town hall was presented by Health Action North Carolina, an organization that calls for Medicaid expansion. More than 100 people attended the town hall. Based on their applause and other responses, most if not all appeared to support expansion.

Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper wants North Carolina to expand Medicaid and vetoed the state budget this year because the state has not done so. The Republican-controlled legislature has not been able to vote to override the governor.

While many Democrats and progressive organizations have been clamoring for Medicaid expansion, Republicans in general, who control the state legislature, oppose it. GOP leaders have said they don't want to give health insurance to people who can work but choose not to work. They have said they are willing to consider ideas to help the working poor who need help getting health coverage.

Three Cumberland County Democratic lawmakers at the town hall, Reps. Marvin Lucas and Billy Richardson and Sen. Kirk deViere, said they will push to expand health care. They also want better teacher pay and better environmental protection.

The legislature and governor, the Republicans and Democrats, are at an impasse, Lucas said.

"I am determined to hold out until we get what we want," he said.

His comment drew cheers and applause.

Supporters of Medicaid expansion say it will bring billions of dollars of federal money to the state. This spending would pay for health care and underwrite new jobs for the people who provide this healthcare, advocates say.

Other attendees and participants in the town hall included the North Carolina Justice Center, Action North Carolina, the local National Organization for Women, the Cumberland County Association of Educators and the Fayetteville branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

Staff writer Paul Woolverton can be reached at pwoolverton@fayobserver.com or 910-486-3512.

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