Mark Robinson Opposes Medicaid Expansion As Hospital Shutdowns Across Rural North Carolina Leave Communities Without Access to Emergency Medical Care
While Medicaid expansion would help keep North Carolina’s rural hospitals open, Mark Robinson says “I hope that it fails.”
In the communities that need coverage the most, rural hospitals are being forced to close. These closures may not be stopping any time soon. The Center Square recently reported that 196 rural hospitals have closed nationwide, including 11 in NC. Why? Increasing numbers of uninsured patients are a big part of the story, and health care leaders are saying “Medicaid expansion is crucial” to provide relief.
With North Carolina being ranked 43rd in percentage of insured adults, the time for expanding Medicaid is now. However, Mark Robinson has voiced his opposition toMedicaid expansion, saying, “I hope it fails.” Six more rural hospitals in North Carolina are at “immediate risk” of closure – yet Robinson won’t get on board to stop the tide.
Meanwhile, Attorney General Josh Stein has consistently fought for increased access to health care and continues to call on the legislature to pass a budget and support these critical hospitals. As Attorney General, he has:
- Defended the Affordable Care Act at the U.S. Supreme Court, including preserving protections for pre-existing conditions for more than 4 million North Carolinians and North Carolina’s ability to increase access to health care through Medicaid expansion
- Called for Medicaid expansion to fight the opioid epidemic and ensure more North Carolinians have access to life-saving treatment and recovery services
- Required several rural hospitals in western North Carolina to keep their doors open when reviewing mergers
“North Carolinians – no matter their zip code – should be able to afford a doctor’s visit and to access nearby care,” said Kate Frauenfelder, a spokeswoman for Josh Stein for North Carolina. “Mark Robinson’s advocacy opposing Medicaid expansion is just another example of how he would fail rural communities and working people across the state if elected as our state’s next governor.”
