RALEIGH—Attorney General Roy Cooper said there was no reason for North Carolina not to expand Medicaid coverage as part of the Affordable Care Act.

Cooper, who is considering a possible run for governor in 2016, said he believes the refusal was political and he hopes lawmakers will reconsider their decision in the spring session.

Gov. Pat McCrory refused to call a special session to accept the expansion, saying Medicaid needs to be fixed before the state takes on new consumers.