The problem with the budget stalemate is simple. Gov. Cooper should hold out for more from Republicans, much more.
The governor wants bigger pay increases for teachers, and he wants Medicaid expansion. Both would help Robeson County greatly, but he could do more.
Medicaid expansion will cost the state very little because the federal government is picking up 90% of the cost. There is a powerful link between states that have not approved Medicaid expansion and rural hospitals that are losing money and failing.
One wonders why Republicans would not spend so little to help the working poor — and rural health-care systems. The lack of continuous health care shortens the lives of many, many people and Robeson’s longevity is one of the lowest in the nation.
An estimated 13,000 Robesonians would benefit from Medicaid expansion. One state administrator said that expanding Medicaid would be an instant economic boom for Robeson County, creating 700 jobs.
Other observers have said Medicaid expansion would save our hospital or at the least make Southeastern Health profitable and in a position to provide more and better services. The hospital is not going to close, but how much damage is being done needlessly?
Southeastern Health remains silent on the issue. Who speaks for them, when Southeastern does not speak for themselves?
There are two known facts about our regional health-care provider. First, about 80% of its revenue comes from Medicare and Medicaid programs. That is a stunning number, but it’s in their literature.
Second, Southeastern has put itself up for bids, seeking a partner with deep pockets. It is difficult to assess the impact of such a move, but is seems clear that Southeastern has money problems similar to many rural hospitals.
It is a mystery why they don’t say so publicly or lobby Republicans to join the 37 other states that have successfully expanded Medicaid.
For those with long memories, Southeastern publicly opposed the Affordable Care Act. Their leadership asked Congressman Mike McIntyre to vote against it, and he did.
When Republicans took control of North Carolina’s legislature not long after Congress passed the ACA, they stubbornly refused the Medicaid money. Tar Heel taxpayers have paid billions to fund health care in other states.
What other issues should Gov. Cooper be bargaining for?
The governor should ask for a major increase in the minimum wage over several years. This would have a big impact on Robeson’s low-wage workers.
Can anyone hear the murmuring? “That’s a job killer”? Have you ever heard of an employer who keeps people on the payroll that he or she does not need?
The $7.25 minimum wage has been in place since 2009. Do Republicans, who often complain about programs like food stamps for the working poor, expect us to believe they care about people trying to live on those wages?
The governor should ask for a school construction bond referendum. Republicans recently dangled this plum in front of our eyes, and then quietly pulled the rug out from under us.
Perhaps the public lacks short-term memory. In the long term, Republicans have not put a dime into public school construction — that Robeson County can use — during their 10-year control of state politics.
Sen. Danny Britt publicly expressed dismay over the Public Schools of Robeson County’s failure to apply for the Republican offer of $15 million in construction money for low-wealth school systems. The truth is that a near-bankrupt PSRC does not have $5 million in matching money, and $20 million does not build even one school.
The governor should ask that state retirees get annual cost-of-living increases the same as Social Security recipients. Republicans have doled out total cost-of-living increases of about 2% over nearly 10 years, and Robeson County pensioners, who were poorly paid state employees, are losing ground financially.
The governor should also ask for the return of the 10% pay boost for teachers who earn a master’s degree. Republicans apparently believe that more education is a bad thing for education.
This one blow to education has damaged UNCP’s graduate education programs and, perhaps, the university’s entire teacher training program. UNCP is a player in the budget standoff.
Republicans attempted to coerce some Democrats to vote for their budget with offers of local spending. One promise was a new health sciences building for UNCP.
With a new building, UNCP could train more health-care professionals to improve the health of Robesonians, or so the argument goes. However, it would take about eight years for the building to become a reality, because the Republican promised to fund it over five years.
UNCP lacks the kind of health-care programs to put in a new building, and the governor should ask that UNCP get more health-care programs, such as physician assistant, nurse practitioner, and physical, occupational and speech therapy.
A far faster way to improve the health of Robesonians is to approve Medicaid expansion right now.
All of these “asks” would help Robeson’s economy and help solve some of our most difficult human problems. The lack of a budget is temporarily hurting North Carolinians and Robesonians, but the lack of much more is hurting us much more in the long run.
There are more issues that Gov. Cooper should put on his list. While the governor is on the right side of this argument, he should think even bigger.
