RALEIGH, N.C. — Since March 2020, states have been required to maintain Medicaid enrollment under COVID-19 public health emergency orders, but that will soon change this year.

What You Need To Know

  • The Medicaid re-certification process could make people lose full health care coverage or see a reduction in benefits

  • Recently, state legislative leaders said they have come to an agreement on expanding Medicaid in North Carolina

  • The N.C. Justice Center will translate materials about this entire process into other languages to reach as many communities as possible

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services will resume the annual Medicaid re-certification process because of a change at the federal level. This could impact many people throughout the state, causing some to lose full health care coverage or see a reduction in benefits. 

Nicole Dozier, the director of the Health Advocacy Project at The North Carolina Justice Center, works with Medicaid recipients and knows how important health care coverage is to some families. 

“I wake up thinking about the people of North Carolina, the people in the Southern region, the people in this country who lack the ability to access health care and they have no coverage,” Dozier said. 

The left-leaning organization provides a helping hand to families to make sure people have access to resources and services, such as affordable health care. 

“The big part of our job is, unfortunately, to convince policymakers that everyone should have access to health insurance, and that’s what Medicaid is,” Dozier said. 

While Dozier said Medicaid is helping thousands of people across North Carolina, she said putting the Medicaid re-certification process into place could impact many of those recipients.   

“Because of the end of the public health emergency, we do know that there are 100,000 people who need to do re-determinations or recertifications. And what that means is that folks may end up dropping, you know, having no insurance,” Dozier said. 

Dozier said this should be a cause for concern. 

“What I think about, just paperwork in general can be such a barrier for people, and it’s just one more thing for someone to have to do,” Dozier said. 

Some of those people may re-qualify under current standards, whereas others may qualify later on. Just recently, state lawmakers said they have an agreement on Medicaid expansion in our state.

It's news that has Dozier cautiously optimistic.

“So for me, the people of North Carolina, you know for advocates, it’s just all the people in North Carolina who have been pushing for Medicaid expansion for so many years of different backgrounds, but have come to understand that it’s sound policy. That it’s good policy for our state, it’s an exciting day,” Dozier said. 

If lawmakers approve Medicaid expansion, it would take time to implement, which is where the caution comes in from Dozier. She fears some might go without coverage for too long.

Dozier said that the N.C. Justice Center will translate materials about this process into other languages so it can reach as many communities as it can.

In the meantime, Dozier added, if you are currently on Medicaid, it’s important to update all of your contact information. You can do so by going to epass.nc.gov or contacting your local department of social services.

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