Post Author
Kaitlyn Richards
Health Policy Manager
The following post appeared in our newsletter on July 30, 2025.
Dear child advocates,
Today marks the 60th anniversary of Medicaid being signed into law.
Originally designed as a federal-state partnership program to provide health coverage to low-income individuals, Medicaid has evolved considerably over the last six decades to become an economic engine, a job creator, and the foundation through which millions of children and families have been able to access care and build healthy futures.
I think about families like Tiffany’s. She and her husband are raising their three sons on their farm in rural Rowan County. When her family gained coverage through Medicaid expansion, both she and her husband were able to get care they were delaying or struggling to access. “Prior to expansion, my husband delayed his surgery for four years and we couldn’t afford a medication I needed,” she said. “With Medicaid, we were able to get what we needed to be healthy so we could take care of our three boys with special needs.”
And I think about families like Gregory’s. He and his wife are the primary caregivers for their five grandchildren. Medicaid has helped each of his grandchildren get the care they need in these formative years of their lives—things like braces, tutors, and prescriptions. “It’s important for kids to have stability as they’re growing up,” he said. “And Medicaid has been that source of stability for them and for us.”
We know that access to healthcare in the early years of a child’s life has an enormous impact on their long-term health and well-being. In 2023, approximately 810,300 children received at least one well-child checkup—this is about five percentage points higher than the national rate. Rates are even higher among children under age 6, when well-child visits are crucial for ensuring that a child’s development is on track.
Over the years, Medicaid coverage in childhood has lowered mortality rates among teens and has even been shown to have a positive impact on a child’s educational attainment and future earnings.
The positives are almost too many to count, but that doesn’t mean we’ll ever stop counting them.
And while the future of Medicaid may be changing, the anniversary of its passage provides us a moment to reflect on and recognize the significant value it has provided—and still provides—to children and families across North Carolina and across our nation.
You’ll hear more from the NC Child team about the status of NC Medicaid, as well as ways you can get involved, share your story, and speak up on behalf of a program that has provided pathways to bright, vibrant, healthy futures for children and families across our state and nation.
For right now, if Medicaid has impacted your life or the life of a loved one, we invite you to share your story with us using this form.
Yours in partnership,
Kaitlyn Richards
Health Policy Manager