Legislation could improve benefits for new moms

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BY CORY VAILLANCOURT POLITICS EDITOR

General Fund appropriate $12,344,000 for perspective, I think it would be great to be fiscal year 2021-2022, and an additional able to do that for that first year so that the

When Republican Sen. Kevin Corbin, $50,816,000 in recurring funds for fiscal moms, especially if they’re having issues, R-Franklin, announced during a year 2022-2023 to the North Carolina they can get care instead of staying home.” March 25 listening session at Department of Health and Human Services’ Swain, Jackson and Haywood Rep. Mike Southwestern Community College that he Division of Health Benefits. Those funds Clampitt said that he was interested in intended to file a bill addressing the health would serve as a required match for more Corbin’s proposal as well. care coverage gap, he also said he hadn’t than $131 million in federal funds, over the “We have talked somewhat about that,” quite formulated the particulars of it same timeframe. Clampitt said. “We’ll see where it goes. His because he wanted to introduce something As an added bonus, something to get background is insurance, which is a good that would pass the Republican-controlled moms and their newborns started on the thing. And that’s the thing about the House legislature. right path, the bill also stipulates that any- of Representatives, all of us bring something

With the insertion of specific language one eligible for Medicaid under the new 12- to the table from our life experience. Mine into placeholder bill S530 on April 5, month postpartum provision would also be was public safety. If he sees a way that we Corbin — along with co-sponsors Sen. Jim Burgin, R-Harnett, and Sen. Joyce Krawiec, RDavie, — will now get his chance to see what the Republican appetite is for incrementally closing the gap for a very important demographic.

“One of the most vulnerable groups that we have is new mothers,” Corbin said. “Many of those moms are dealing with a single income, some aren’t, but some are and they need to take care of themselves, so that’s part of the reason for starting with that group. It’s very much a bill to help people who are willing to help themselves.”

Currently, pregnant women with incomes “One of the most vulnerable groups that we have is new mothers.” less than or equal to 196 percent of the fed- — Kevin Corbin eral poverty rate are eligible for Medicaid, but only for pregnancy-related services and eligible for a waiver of tuition and registra- could have cost savings without being buronly for two months post-partum. Corbin’s tion fees at North Carolina community col- densome to the state and we can provide bill would expand Medicaid coverage for leges. coverage for more people, I’m all about it.” pregnant women to a full 12 months post- “If someone goes to one of our commu- Rep. Karl Gillespie, who represents partum, so long as the Centers for Medicare nity college system schools through a special Cherokee, Clay, Graham and Macon counand Medicaid Services (CMS) continues to program like this, the state would reimburse ties, likes the idea of the postpartum expanprovide matching funds. the school for the cost of that tuition,” sion, but as a former trustee at

Corbin estimates the bill could benefit Corbin said. “With the community colleges, Southwestern Community College seems to hundreds of women in his district, and there’s no room-and-board, so it’s not a huge like the educational component of the bill thousands across the state. cost to the state. It’s only tuition. We felt like even more.

While Corbin’s bill is not the full that was a reasonable thing to do.” “Everybody knows how I support comMedicaid expansion championed by some Mark Pless, who represents Haywood, munity colleges,” said Gillespie, who filed a on the left, and some on the right, it would Madison and Yancy counties in the N.C. bill that would allow residents in Georgia’s be a small step in closing the health insur- House, said he’d support the bill if it makes border counties to qualify for in-state ance coverage gap and would also bring fed- it from the Senate to the House. tuition at Murphy’s Tri-County Community eral dollars back to Western North Carolina “I think it’s a good idea. I know a lot of College. “I believe in the community college — in the form of income tax payments times what happens especially with young system. I think this is an excellent compoalready made toward Medicaid expansion girls, they end up having a baby, the baby nent. It gives that mom an opportunity to services North Carolina’s General Assembly gets Medicaid and the mom ceases to have go to school where maybe she wouldn’t continues to reject. any kind of care,” Pless said. “Just from an have been able to, so she can create a better

The bill includes a request that the ongoing medical care and a mental health life for herself.”