Quarter of the 1 million Medicaid insured patients in NC could lose their benefits: DHHS
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- Crystal Upchurch has a spare bedroom in her apartment, which has become a makeshift dialysis center.
"This is the IV pole that I use to hang on to bags of fluid," she said, walking around the space. "I must take my weight, my blood pressur,e and my temp before I do any treatments."
She self-administers treatments three to four times daily.
The 35-year-old was diagnosed with lupus 16 years ago and is on the verge of receiving a kidney transplant.
The supplies and the upcoming surgery are paid for through Medicaid.
She's scared her benefits could be in limbo because of the Big Beautiful Bill.
"It would be very detrimental to my health, because if I were to lose my benefits, I wouldn't be able to pay for my dialysis treatments," said Upchurch.
The Trump administration says the legislation strengthens the integrity of Medicaid by eliminating what they call waste, fraud and abuse.
More than three million people in North Carolina are enrolled in the program, according to the Governor's Office.
NCDHHS Secretary Dr. Dev Sangvai says the bill means there will be less money for rural hospitals and a quarter of a million North Carolinians on Medicaid could be at risk.
"By some estimates, over the next 10 years, this will take . . . almost $50 billion out of North Carolina in a variety of different ways," said Sangvai. "There is definitely a risk on the overall financial visibility of really the entire healthcare enterprise."
Upchurch says she has enough supplies to last until the end of the month and hopes she can continue receiving this support from the federal government.
According to a study from this year, Black women with lupus had the highest mortality rate of all races between 1999 and 2020.
"Truth we told, we as black women, it's hard enough to get the proper insurance and get the proper medical treatment we deserve," said Upchurch. "If I were to lose Medicaid and that cannot pay for my treatment anymore, my chances of dying go up exponentially."
DHHS says it is now working with the General Assembly to see how the state might be able to fill the financial gap.
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