Budget writers at the General Assembly are doubly anxious about the November election after the U.S. Supreme Court upheld Obamacare. That appears to be the only hope with a Republican President vowing to reverse course on universal healthcare. If there is any silver lining in that ruling the high court said the federal government couldn’t penalize states that didn’t expand Medicaid coverage at the direction of Washington. That is little consolation, however, for lawmakers who have to figure out some way of paying for the influx of new Medicaid recipients that would still be added to the state’s responsibility. Senate budget leader Peter Brunstetter (R-Forsyth) notes Obamacare will add 300,000 to 400,000 people to the state’s Medicaid rolls. The General Assembly also still has to set up a healthcare benefit exchange to negotiate who gets what insurance coverage. Brunstetter says that won’t be addressed now with the short session at the end…
Senator Eric Mansfield (D-Cumberland) is a doctor and says the court ruling was a win for patients and healthcare providers…
But to budget writers such as Sen. Brunstetter there in lies the problem. He and others had to find over $200 million this session to shore up Medicaid. They also set aside another $100 million in case of more budget problems with the program. Brunstetter says the state might not be able to handle the additional case loads…
There are estimates Obamacare could cost the state another $600 million down the road so legislative leaders are hoping there is a roadblock coming in November.
The North Carolina Chamber of Commerce is surveying its members to find out how the ruling will affect their plans for expansion or downsizing. Many businesses have been holding onto cash because they don’t know how Obamacare will affect their bottom line, but some call it a job killer.
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