NC S290

Expands Medicaid coverage beginning January 1, 2018 to all people under age 65 with incomes at or below 133% of the federal poverty level, projected to serve an additional 468,000 North Carolinians in FY 2017-2018 and 630,000 in FY 2018-2019.

Repeals the prohibition on Medicaid expansion from S.L. 2013-5 and requires the Division of Medical Assistance to provide coverage consisting of benefits described in the Affordable Care Act.

Appropriates $27.5 million for FY 2017-2018 and $41 million for FY 2018-2019 in state funds for administrative costs, plus $114.8 million and $273.4 million respectively for service costs, with federal matching funds.

Establishes a Medicaid Expansion Assessment on hospital providers (those not fully exempt from existing equity and UPL assessments) to fund the state share of expansion costs, with assessment amounts calculated as a hospital's percentage of total Medicaid services billed.

Reduces appropriations to the Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services by $6.7 million for FY 2017-2018 and $13.5 million for FY 2018-2019, and reduces the Inmate Health Care program budget by $7.9 million for FY 2018-2019 to reflect anticipated savings from Medicaid expansion.