Medicaid relief tops NCACC’s 2007 agenda
By NICOLE CARTRETTE
Staff Writer
Two decades.
That’s how long the N.C. Association of County Commissioners has lobbied for county Medicaid relief. It remains a top legislative priority for 2007.
On Jan. 11 and 12 county officials who attended the NCACC Legislative Goals Conference in Pinehurst voted unanimously to put Medicaid relief at the top of the organization’s agenda. Columbus County’s share is about $6 million and takes about one-third of property taxes.
“State and federal should handle the brunt of it,” Commissioner Ronald Gore said prior to the conference that he and Commissioner James Prevatte attended.
In June 2006, state lawmakers passed one-time legislation to freeze the counties’ share. In the midst of speculation that the state budget will be faced with a shortfall, there has been no promise of such Medicaid relief next year.
Some believe the answer to the cry for County Medicaid relief is not in Raleigh but in Washington, D.C. Congressman G.K. Butterfield, who represents a number of counties in northeastern North Carolina has introduced federal legislation that would essentially make the state responsible for the costs and take the burden off of counties.
But there is currently little support and no official co-sponsors for the measure that would change federal law in order to address an issue that currently affects only one state that passes the share on to counties – North Carolina.
“I share the concern that my colleague Representative Butterfield has,” said Congressman Mike McIntyre, representative for the 7th district, which includes Columbus County. He said he would review the legislation and look at ways to work co-operatively with the states regarding Medicaid financial policies.
“I’ve consistently supported legislation that would provide immediate assistance to local and state governments to support increases in Medicaid enrollment,” said McIntyre, a member and former co-chair of the Rural Health Coalition.
“I have also historically supported efforts to give targeted assistance to states which have budget shortfalls in regard to Medicaid,” McIntyre said. “I have also supported key legislation that would create a bipartisan commission to study the Medicaid process.”
With the leadership change in Congress, McIntyre is optimistic about seeing action taken on such legislation as it is re-introduced, he said.
Columbus is one of five counties that spends more on Medicaid than public schools. With 32 percent of residents Medicaid eligible, roughly one-third of property taxes go to fund program costs that make up more than 10 percent of the total county budget.
Commissioners see the State’s $2 billion dollar budget surplus as an opportunity for relief.
Under state legislation passed in June 2006, Columbus County’s share would be fixed at the 2005-06 cost of roughly $5.8 million, saving at least one-half million in 2006-2007.
North Carolina is the only state that requires counties to pay a fixed percentage of Medicaid costs. County officials have no authority to regulate Medicaid services. The NCACC projects Medicaid costs in Columbus County have increased by 59 percent since the year 2000.
