RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory says
he is withholding judgment on whether the state should expand Medicaid under
the federal Affordable Care Act until his administration can fix serious
mismanagement within the program.
McCrory spoke Thursday as State Auditor Beth Wood
released a 70-page critique of the Division of Medical Assistance.
"This audit should be a concern for every North Carolinian," McCrory
said in a statement. "Every dollar that is mismanaged at the Department of
Health and Human Services for Medicaid is one dollar less that is available for
medical services, education or road and bridge repair."
"This information is critical to us in the work we have
ahead to reform the Medicaid system in North Carolina," Aldona Vos, Secretary
of the Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement released by
the Governor's office. "I am pleased to say
that we already are taking proactive steps to address some of these issues –
the most important of which is hiring Carol Steckel, a nationally recognized
expert in Medicaid, to run our Medicaid program."
The audit found that administrative spending for the
state's Medicaid system is significantly higher than nine states of similar
size. The audit also found state Medicaid administrators used flawed or
incomplete budget forecasting methods, resulting in shortfalls of more than
$190 million last year.
Medicaid provides health coverage for more than 1.5
million North Carolina residents - most of them poor children, older adults and
the disabled. The program spends about $13 billion in state and federal funds.
To read the audit, please click here.
Copyright 2013 WECT. Material from the Associated Press was used
in this report.
