North Carolina is set to throw away $21 billion between now and 2020, and a lot of people are going to die as a result.Under the Affordable Care Act — the dreaded “Obamacare” — states have the option to expand Medicaid coverage to cover everyone earning no more than 138 percent of the federal poverty level, or roughly $33,000 a year for a family of four. The federal government will cover some 90 percent of the costs of this expansion, while the state pays the rest.Nineteen states have opted not to expand — including, by act of the legislature in 2013, North Carolina. Legislative leaders have expressed worries about Medicaid costs running out of control — it does cost a fair chunk of the state’s budget. Also, many of the Republicans don’t like Obamacare generally, and want to see it go away.But get this: As an “unexpanded” state, North Carolina is paying 34 percent of Medicaid costs, to …
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