The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) is hosting a live fireside chat and tele-town hall on Wednesday, Jan. 10, from 6 to 7 p.m., to discuss Medicaid expansion across North Carolina.

NCDHHS  State Health Director and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Elizabeth Tilson will be one presenter, as will Director of NC Medicaid Communications and Engagement  Brenda Jackson.

Currently, more than 600,000 people – ages 19 through 64 – are newly eligible for health care coverage under Medicaid expansion in the state.

The January 10 Fireside Chat and Tele-town Hall panelists will cover the following topics as well as others:

• Who’s eligible for Medicaid

• How to apply for the health care coverage

• What health services are covered under Medicaid

• How expansion will affect rural communities

The state’s new NCDHHS Medicaid Expansion website provides information regarding eligibility, how to apply and where to find support.

The state and its regional partners also have resources available for people in rural or other areas who lack consistent access to the internet.  People can also find state and local support teams to help them better understand their health care coverage options and complete Medicaid applications.

The January fireside chat will stream live from the NCDHHS Facebook, Twitter and YouTube accounts – where viewers can listen and ask questions. The event also includes a “tele-town hall,” where people can  phone in to listen in and submit questions.

Those interested can also dial into the event by calling 855-756-7520  and entering  100651# as the extension.

The NCDHHS’ fireside chats and tele-town halls are part of the state’s ongoing public efforts to ensure “equitable access to timely health information, including Medicaid enrollment updates and resources to help North Carolinians find health care coverage. ”

About