Stein Warns NC Counties Will Bear New Medicaid Rule Costs
Gov. Josh Stein says North Carolina counties will face new administrative costs and staffing burdens implementing federal Medicaid work and eligibility requirements, after the General Assembly rejected his request for state funding to cover those costs. Starting Jan. 1, more than 700,000 North Carolinians enrolled through Medicaid expansion must document at least 80 hours a month of work, education, or community service, and states must run eligibility checks twice yearly instead of annually. State officials estimate the changes will cost North Carolina $44 million in administrative costs and $6.5 million in implementation costs, with county social services departments handling the added eligibility workload. Stein's office estimates over 250,000 residents could lose coverage due to reporting barriers rather than ineligibility, and is urging the state's congressional delegation to reverse the cuts enacted under H.R. 1.