NC Lobby Day: Over 50 Lawmakers Addressed

Raleigh, NC – Over 40 volunteers clad in red arrived in downtown Raleigh for North Carolina Lobby Day. Their purpose: to talk to lawmakers about the importance of comprehensive and accessible health care.

North Carolina has the opportunity to expand affordable health insurance to at least 340,000 uninsured people. A majority of these uninsured people work full or part-time jobs but fall within the coverage gap. That means they earn too much to qualify for Medicaid and too little for private insurance.

37 other states have closed the coverage gap by offering some type of Medicaid program to this population. In these states, adults with low incomes were less likely to report having any unmet medical needs. That could be the difference between letting your blood pressure silently creep up to hypertensive levels and managing that blood pressure with the help of a doctor. 

American Heart Association volunteers explained the importance of closing the gap to lawmakers from across the state. Many of these volunteers, part of the You’re the Cure network, are experienced in these conversations. Some volunteers have been doing this for years, while one has been joining her mom in these conversations since she was born.

Lawmakers were happy to meet with AHA volunteers and see people so passionate about increasing access to affordable and comprehensive healthcare. Survivors spoke up to share their experiences, proving the fact that the issue is beyond politics – it’s about people.

By the end of the day, over 50 lawmakers were addressed, and staff at all offices were educated on the issue. Want to learn more about closing the gap? Check out Care4Carolina, our coalition partner, to learn more and participate in the campaign!