Editorial: Legislators avert their gaze when confronted with failure to expand Medicaid

CBC Editorial: Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023; editorial #8872
The following is the opinion of Capitol Broadcasting Company

Republican state Supreme Court Chief Justice Paul Newby likes, as noted in several opinions, to remind us it is the state General Assembly that “is closest to the people and most accountable.”

But what we’ve been witnessing lately is too many of the people who populate and lead the legislature don’t want to be too close to those North Carolinians – particularly if they are poor and infirm, handicapped or a part of a racial, ethnic or social minority.

The consequences of their aversion and enmity came into sharp focus last week with vivid personifications of the failure to implement Medicaid Expansion -- now stretching 169 days since Gov. Roy Cooper signed it into law. Let’s not forget that comes after the nearly 12 years and nine months (about 4,600 days) since the program initiated by President Barack Obama became effective, but the legislative leaders’ bias against the former Democratic president led to their stonewalling.

Legislative leaders have plenty of time to meet with the likes of big-money gambling wheeler-dealers and Donald Trump’s legally-compromised election law adviser. But they don’t have a spare minute to meet with regular North Carolinians like Anthony Brooks.

Brooks suffers from acute heart failure and is described as living on borrowed time. He lost his Medicaid coverage in April – but would have continued to have it if legislators hadn’t delayed Medicaid expansion until a budget is approved – which hasn’t happened yet.

The delay – which may not happen until Dec. 1 at the earliest -- has real consequences.

Brooks was at the Legislative Building to, literally, beg and plead for his life. Senate leader Phil Berger, R-Rockingham and House Speaker Tim Moore, R-Cleveland, were otherwise occupied. Brooks said he’s called and emailed, pleading for a meeting to no avail.

"That leaves me on the side of the road, signing my death certificate, dead," Brooks said. "I mean, how can they sleep at night?"

Precisely.

Brooks isn’t alone. DeAnna Brandon is suffering with uncurable multiple myeloma, a rare blood cancer she was diagnosed with in 2022. Her doctor says she needs harvest and transplant her own stem cells.

But Brandon has no health insurance. Charity care, available at free or discounted services to eligible low-income patients, won’t cover the cost of up to $200,000 to harvest and transplant her own stem cells. Without the expansion, she has been unable to qualify for Medicaid that otherwise would cover her transplant.

“I feel like I’m holding my breath to get a decision as to whether my life can be extended or not.”

These are real people. Our legislative leaders quite literally hold their lives in their hands.

How many like them, since they could have expanded Medicaid in 2014, are no longer around? Estimates put it at as many as 14,660 to 4,360 died in North Carolina from lack of access to health care that, had Medicaid expansion been accomplished, would have otherwise been available.

It takes a cold heart, a closed fist and blinded eyes for legislative leaders to not recognize – purposely disregard -- the life-and-death consequences of such their failure.

As easily as they push through much of the legislation that’s become law in this never-ending legislative session, House Speaker Tim Moore and Senate leader Phil Berger could enable Medicaid expansion in minutes.

Do it now – don’t leave the lives Anthony Brooks, DeAnna Brandon and the thousands like them – already hanging by a thread – without a safety net. Expand Medicaid now.

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