Pictured: Mozella Francis, Director of Social Services in Northampton County, presenting to the Board of Supervisors Tuesday evening.
Following the expansion of Medicaid in Virginia, almost 40% of the residents of Northampton County are now enrolled in the program designed to help with medical costs for some people with limited income and resources.
Mozella Francis, the Director of Social Services in Northampton County, spoke to the Northampton Board of Supervisors at their Tuesday night meeting and said since Medicaid was expanded by the General Assembly under Governor Ralph Northam in 2018, the County has had over 1,000 new enrollees.
According to Francis, the other programs offered by Social Services, including Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program(SNAP) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families(TANF), have all seen decreased enrollment, which she chalked up to rules changes and record unemployment levels.
At the last count taken on May 17, there have been 750 new applications for Medicaid since the expansion. Applications can add more than one person to the Medicaid rolls. While she won’t know the full effects until the end of the fiscal year, at the last count 4,497 people in Northampton County are receiving Medicaid benefits. According to the US Census Bureau, the County has 11,846 residents.
