The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS)  will host a live “Cafecito and tele-town hall” in Spanish on Thursday, Jan. 11, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. to explain Medicaid expansion – including which qualified immigration statuses are eligible for health care coverage and how to apply.

The event participants will include:

• Yazmin Garcia Rico, the director of Latinx and Hispanic Policy and Strategy, NCDHHS

• Jennifer Platts, communications specialist for NC Medicaid

• Kate Woomer-Deters, senior attorney for Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project, NC Justice Center.

Since the Dec. 1, 2023 expansion of Medicaid in North Carolina, the program has been newly available to over 600,000 people ages 19 through 64, and thousands of members of the Hispanic and Latino community are included in those numbers.

The Jan. 11 virtual town hall will cover things like who’s eligible for Medicaid, how to apply, where to find Medicaid support in Spanish, and the impact of expansion on health coverage for the Hispanic and Latino people across the state.

According to the announcement of the livestream sent out by NCDHHS, “Some non-U.S. citizens with qualified immigration status in North Carolina can get health care coverage through Medicaid. An expert from the North Carolina Justice Center, Kate Woomer-Deters, will provide insights on who might be eligible for Medicaid based on their immigration status, how Medicaid impacts Public Charge and where people can access confidential support.”

The event will stream live from the NCDHHS’ Facebook, Twitter and YouTube accounts, where viewers will be able to submit their questions. It will also be broadcast as a tele-town hall, which people can take part in by phone and ask questions by phone. Those interested can dial into the event by calling 855-756-7520, and using Ext. 100647#.

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