S408 expands Medicaid coverage for adults aged 18-64 with incomes up to 133% of the federal poverty level and invests $1 billion to address the opioid, substance abuse, and mental health crisis using American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, This legislation also include proposals to increase access to healthcare in rural areas of the State.
The North Carolina State Senate passed S408 on May 10, 2021 by a vote of 49 to 0. We have assigned pluses to the nays because this law greatly expands the size of government, creating a program that only benefits one faction of the population. Also, the spending of taxpayer money for purposes not authorized under Art. 1 Sec. 8 of the U.S. Constitution tightens the federal-state lockstep on redistribution of income. Additionally, distribution of federal taxpayer dollars comes with contingencies and requirements, forcing states into situations that violate the U.S. Constitution. Healthcare is not a right under the constitution.