RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — The North Carolina General Assembly is still at odds over the budget which means hundreds of thousands of people in the state will remain without access to affordable health care.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services hoped to expand Medicaid in October. However, it’s likely Medicaid expansion won’t launch until next year.

When lawmakers finally joined the majority of states to do so, they tied it to the budget.

NCDHHS Secretary Kody Kinsley sat down with CBS 17’s Russ Bowen to explain why the expansion is now an even bigger challenge.