NC lawmakers vote to bar Medicaid expansion

RALEIGH (AP) North Carolina lawmakers have approved a measure barring the state from expanding Medicaid under the federal health care overhaul.

Republican Gov. Pat McCrory has indicated he’ll sign the GOP-backed bill when it reaches his desk.

The bill approved by House and Senate on Tuesday makes clear North Carolina neither wants to expand Medicaid eligibility or run an online health insurance marketplace. States have the option of doing both through the Affordable Care Act.

The federal government would cover 100 percent of the state’s expansion costs through 2016 and 90 percent after that, but Republicans say they don’t trust Washington to continue paying into the future.

Proponents say most of the 500,000 low-income citizens who qualify won’t get government insurance without state participation, driving up health care costs for everyone else.