"The members of the General Assembly have had six months to take action and solve this problem. But they have failed. They have failed North Carolina. They have failed the people of North Carolina. And now they have packed up and left town, ostensibly until next year. It is shameful," said Stein.
In October, NCDHHS instituted a 5% cut on reimbursement rates, citing a lack of funding.
"We're really at a point now is if we don't get those dollars, we're going to have to continue with the rates because we cannot spend money we don't have. We've often used the phrase we can't put these costs on a credit card. So we're $319 million short to be able to meet our Medicaid obligation for this year," said NCDHHS Secretary Dr. Dev Sangvai.
More than 3 million North Carolinians utilize Medicaid, including Daysi Hurtado, who qualified as a result of Medicaid expansion.
"I'm expecting my first child and I'm pregnant, so we're really excited about that. But also (we're nervous) of possibility of losing coverage. There are a lot of doctor's appointments that come with being pregnant and so I am worried about what that's going to look like next year," said Hurtado.
The House and Senate have been unable to come to an agreement on a budget and have remained at an impasse over budget priorities, namely over funding of a new children's hospital in Wake County.
"It is absolutely wrong and frankly cruel to use sick and vulnerable people as a bargaining chip on an issue entirely unrelated to Medicaid funding," said Stein.
Earlier in the day, Stein delivered remarks at the groundbreaking of a new WakeMed Hospital in Garner, where he addressed impacts of Medicaid coverage in accessing care.
"At the end of the day, folks need to be able to pay for their health care and the hospital, WakeMed, accepts Medicaid. If the legislature does not address the Medicaid funding gap, they are not going to get paid the cost it takes to provide the care. That's unsustainable for the health care system here. It's unsustainable for our health care system statewide," said Stein.
Officials expressed concern that the longer the reduced reimbursement rate remains in effect, the more likely providers will stop accepting Medicaid.
"We have now started to get emails from large practices and large providers that have given dates certain by which time they will exit Medicaid. Many of them are calling the end of this month the time period that they will exit the Medicaid program," Sangvai said, while acknowledging it's hard to quantify the number of practices at this point.
Republicans have disputed whether the reimbursement rate cuts are necessary. In a statement, Lauren Horsch, a spokeswoman for Senate President Phil Berger wrote:
"Gov. Stein's self-inflicted 'crisis' is not an extraordinary occasion by any measure. Now that the courts have stepped in to block some of his politically motivated cuts, he's attempting a new stunt to pass the buck. The General Assembly appropriated $600 million to the Medicaid rebase, and instead of prioritizing funding for services, Gov. Stein decided funding bureaucracy was more important."
House Speaker Destin Hall pointed to several House-backed proposals to address the funding shortfall, adding the chamber "has also offered to provide written assurances of future funding commitments to prompt the NCDHHS to pause its destructive cuts." In a statement, Hall wrote:
"The House has done its job to fund Medicaid with clean bills and is prepared to do more if needed. We need to resolve this matter quickly to protect patients, support providers, and ensure the long-term stability of North Carolina's Medicaid program.
Until recently, the General Assembly has worked with the executive branch to provide funding to Medicaid, while also monitoring the program's integrity. The administration should have continued that practice."
In a statement, Senate Democratic Leader Sydnee Batch wrote:
"Senate Democrats fully support Governor Stein's call for an extra session of the legislature to fix the Medicaid rebase. This funding is urgent and essential and without it, our healthcare system faces devastating consequences. Providers are stretched thin, patients are being turned away, and entire communities are left feeling scared and vulnerable. It's long past time for Republicans to stop playing games with people's health.
At the same time, we're now 129 days into a new fiscal year without a state budget. Senate Democrats have been ready to govern from day one in order to pass a responsible budget that invests in working families. But instead of doing their jobs, Phil Berger and Senate Republicans have chosen months of delay and dysfunction. The Governor's call to action is a chance for them to finally show up and do the bare minimum: keep Medicaid funded and our communities cared for."
House Democratic Leader Robert Reives wrote:
"I applaud Governor Stein's call for the General Assembly to return for a special session to fund Medicaid in North Carolina. North Carolinians are hurting right now because of cuts to Medicaid that were entirely preventable. The North Carolina House, Senate Democrats and Governor Stein are all willing to negotiate and ensure this problem gets solved. Senate Republican Leadership can break this logjam by coming to the table."