Governor Attempts To Derail Trump
North Carolina’s Democrat Governor Josh Stein is raising alarm over a massive new Senate spending bill, warning it could cripple health care access, gut Medicaid funding, and cut off food assistance for thousands of residents — especially low-income seniors, working families, and rural communities.
In a strongly worded letter to the state’s congressional delegation, Stein urged lawmakers to “press pause” on the legislation, saying it poses a serious threat to the health and financial stability of North Carolina residents.
“This bill is moving at breakneck speed — and the consequences for our state could be catastrophic,” Stein wrote.
According to new analysis from the nonpartisan KFF health research group, the Senate bill could lead to 520,000 North Carolinians losing their health coverage — including many who rely on Medicaid and ObamaCare exchange subsidies. Those subsidies are scheduled to expire in 2025 under the bill, leaving seniors and low-income families exposed.
Even members of North Carolina’s own congressional delegation — who voted for an earlier House version — are expressing concern over the Senate’s deep cuts to Medicaid provider taxes, a key funding source for hospitals and clinics.
Sen. Thom Tillis Breaks With GOP Leadership, Warns of $26 Billion Loss
Republican Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC), one of just three Republicans to vote against the bill, said it could cost North Carolina at least $26 billion in federal funding — even under the most favorable conditions.
“This bill is a raw deal for North Carolina,” Tillis said. “It puts our hospitals, our seniors, and our taxpayers at serious risk.”
Rural health care leaders agree. Medical groups say the Senate bill would force many small-town hospitals to shut down permanently, creating dangerous care deserts in the most vulnerable areas of the state.
The legislation would force North Carolina and other states that expanded Medicaid to drastically lower their provider tax rates starting in 2028. These taxes help states draw in federal Medicaid matching funds — which are then used to pay hospitals and providers.
Without that revenue, the state could lose its ability to sustain the program entirely.
Medicaid Expansion Could Collapse — Along With Food Assistance
Governor Stein, who expanded Medicaid in 2023 to cover 650,000 additional residents, now finds himself warning that the very program he promoted is on the verge of collapse.
Under current state law, Medicaid expansion must end if provider tax revenue drops too low — and this Senate bill all but guarantees that outcome.
The risks don’t stop there. The legislation also includes deep cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) — a lifeline for many fixed-income seniors and struggling families.
Stein said North Carolina may be forced to come up with $420 million per year just to keep SNAP funded at its current level — or else be forced to eliminate the program altogether.
What’s at Stake for North Carolina Seniors and Taxpayers
For North Carolina’s 50+ population, retirees, veterans, and rural residents, the stakes couldn’t be higher:
- Hundreds of thousands could lose health insurance
- Local hospitals may close, especially in rural areas
- SNAP food assistance could be slashed or eliminated
- Taxpayers would be left to pick up the tab
While Stein continues to sound the alarm, many conservative voters are asking: Why is the Biden-controlled Senate pushing through a bill that threatens our health care, hospitals, and food programs — without real debate?
This is more than just a policy dispute. It’s a direct hit on working Americans, seniors, and the bedrock of North Carolina’s health care system.
