The writer is a senior fellow at Action for Children North Carolina.
Declining to expand Medicaid coverage to low-income adults is a missed opportunity to reduce infant mortality.
Though much progress has been made in reducing infant mortality in our state in the past 25 years, North Carolina still has about the 40th worst infant mortality rate among the states. And the rate has begun to increase.
Medicaid expansion, which would occur at little or no cost to the state, would provide crucial preconception services to tens of thousands of low-income women so that when pregnancy occurs their chances for the delivery of a healthy baby would be dramatically increased.
Our governor and General Assembly have gone to great lengths to protect the unborn. They should take this opportunity to protect the born as well.
Tom Vitaglione
Raleigh