Todd Hickey, MHA, FACHE Chief Strategy Officer, ECU Health | ECU Health
Todd Hickey, MHA, FACHE Chief Strategy Officer, ECU Health | ECU Health
Gov. Roy Cooper recently visited ECU Health Medical Center in Greenville to mark the first anniversary of Medicaid expansion in North Carolina. The expansion, which began on December 1, 2023, has provided health insurance to over 80,000 residents in eastern North Carolina and nearly 600,000 people across the state. This initiative was accompanied by the Healthcare Access and Stabilization Program (HASP), offering vital support to rural hospitals.
"The last year showed us that this is something that people desperately needed, particularly here in rural North Carolina," said Gov. Cooper. "I grew up in Nashville and we know that rural North Carolinians have been helped more by Medicaid expansion than anyone else. I hold close to my heart the mission of getting people healthier. I knew getting Medicaid expansion passed and signed into law was the most important thing we could do to accomplish that."
The success of Medicaid expansion reflects years of advocacy by ECU Health, addressing challenges faced by uninsured and underinsured patients. Dr. Michael Waldrum, CEO of ECU Health and dean of the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, emphasized its positive impact on patients and healthcare workers.
"Medicaid expansion has helped improve access to primary care, empowering people to take control of their health and their lives," Dr. Waldrum stated. "It is also an investment in rural health organizations like ours."
Dr. Karen Coward, a family medicine physician with ECU Health from Kinston practicing in Tarboro, noted significant changes since the expansion's implementation.
"Patients who once cycled through the emergency department are now establishing relationships with primary care providers like me," Dr. Coward said.
Kody Kinsley, secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, highlighted substantial achievements over the past year due to Medicaid expansion.
"Medicaid expansion is life changing for families," Sec. Kinsley said.
The event featured remarks from Darcy Guill from Ayden, a beneficiary who expressed gratitude for improved access to regular care and prescriptions.
As the first year concludes, ECU Health continues its commitment to advancing rural healthcare through Medicaid expansion and HASP support.
Alerts Sign-up