Kinnaird a strong supporter of health care expansion in NC

Since the state Senate’s Committee on Health Care convened in January, Medicaid expansion has been one of the biggest topics of discussion. A majority vote in early March killed the program’s expansion in the state.

Republicans cite rampant mismanagement within the state’s current Medicaid system as the reason for opposing expansion. Democrats say that the failure to expand will hurt a number of citizens and keep many people from not receiving adequate health services.
Sen. Ellie Kinnaird, D-Orange, strongly supports health care expansion in North Carolina. WhichWayNC sat down with her to discuss the issue. Her comments have been edited for length.

WWNC: In your opinion, what are some of the consequences North Carolina will face due to a refusal to expand Medicaid throughout the state?

EK: We pay when people use the emergency room when they don’t need to. We pay when they have bad health outcomes from not having a healthy lifestyle. And we pay when they have no method of payment. Medicaid, of course, would be federal government money, partly. So all of those are the reasons why we should’ve expanded Medicaid.

WWNC: Do you see any negatives that could come as a result of expanding health care here in North Carolina?

EK: Well, I read a report from a fellow by the name of (Dr. Chris) Conover over at Duke, a very conservative fellow, but it’s not negative. It’s just he doesn’t come out with the same financial savings that would come with Medicaid expansion as the ones that I told you.

WWNC: Republicans cite mismanagement within our state’s current Medicaid system as the main reason why health care should not be expanded. Do you agree that Medicaid in North Carolina is mismanaged?

EK: I think that’s a broad overstatement. There have been some problems, and we are adjusting those. But why throw the baby out with the bathwater?

WWNC: In your opinion, what demographic of people will be most negatively affected by a failure to expand Medicaid?

EK: It would be the large number of people who are young adults and are not covered in any other way with health insurance. Right now, they have no health insurance. They are the people that show up at the emergency room for every little thing. And those are obviously the adults that do not qualify or are not eligible for Medicaid, which right now is very limited. Only poor children, pregnant women and some disabled and elderly are eligible.

WWNC: With North Carolina refusing to expand health care, the federal government will now step in. What exactly does the federal government plan on doing?

EK: The federal government is doing the insurance exchanges. We will continue with the same group of people being covered by Medicaid as is now. There will be no expansion. The federal government will provide the exchanges, which means once people are required in 2014 to get insurance, they will need to know what’s available that fits their circumstances. Instead of the state making that decision and having local people answer the phone calls to help answer people’s questions, the federal government will have people somewhere in Omaha, Nebraska answering the phones and answering questions.

WWNC: On a mental health level, how does North Carolina’s refusal to expand Medicaid affect those with severe mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder?

EK: Most of these people should already be eligible for Medicaid. The ones who aren’t covered are the young adults. The elderly, children and most of the disabled are already covered.

Related Links:

• A Medicaid Model that Works
• New Medicaid plan meant to build on-not undo- gains in N.C. healthcare

This story was reported as an assignment for the JOMC 253 Reporting class.