New census data shows that the rate of uninsured North Carolinians reached a historic low in 2016, but reaction is mixed when it comes to the Medicaid expansion debate.
U.S. Census Bureau data released Tuesday shows the number of uninsured individuals in North Carolina dropped to just over 10 percent. That's a nearly five-point drop since the federal Affordable Care Act went into full effect in 2014.
But according to The Winston-Salem Journal, analysts say the rate could be significantly lower if the Republican-controlled General Assembly approved expanding Medicaid coverage.
Governor Roy Cooper is in favor of expansion.. But legislative leaders are vehemently opposed to the idea, concerned that the federal government wouldn't follow through on covering its share of the costs.
Political science professor at Wake Forest University John Dinan says with legislators unwilling to budge on their opposition to Medicaid expansion, the census data likely won't play a pivotal role in shifting opinions.