Last week was an incredible win for the health of North Carolinians with the passage of Medicaid Expansion. As the bill heads for Governor Cooper’s desk this week, we now look forward to seeing the beginnings of the legislative budgetary process.

If you missed it, here are the key provisions of HB 76, which expands Medicaid in North Carolina:

  • Expands Medicaid to over 600,000 North Carolinians and would dole out $1.8 billion in federal dollars to the state.
  • Creates a Healthcare Access and Stabilization Program (HASP), which would reimburse hospitals who have experienced financial losses.
  • Expands postpartum coverage.
  • Creates a statewide workforce development program.
  • Creates a program that would help residents on Medicaid transfer to marketplace place healthcare when available.
  • Adds Certificate of Need (CON) Reform which would remove requirements for chemical dependency beds and psychiatric beds, raises dollar threshold for replacement equipment, raises the dollar threshold for diagnostic centers.
  • Also adds CON Reform for counties with over 125,000 residents for Ambulatory Surgery Centers (will take effect 2 years after the first HASP payment) and MRI machines (will take effect 3 years after the first HASP payment).
  • The changes will be implemented only if the 2023-2024 budget is passed into law by the end of 2023.

As we approach the bill filing deadlines in the House and Senate, an increased number of bills will be filed. Here are some of note from this week and extended summaries can be found here:

HB 415 & SB 361, Stop Addiction Fraud Ethics Act of 2023: Requires truth in marketing for addiction recovery facilities and not misleading potential patients.

HB 421, Medicaid Coverage for Doula Services: Would study doula services in NC and add coverage for the state health plan.

HB 425, Stop Counterfeit Pills Act: Would criminalize possession of equipment or machinery to make pills of a controlled substance.

HB 439 & SB 353, RBG Act: Would remove current abortion restrictions and codify Roe v. Wade.

HB 450, Pharmacist Provided Health Care Services: Would reimburse pharmacists when they provide services to patients including dispensing drugs that we are “within their scope”.

SB 336, Informed Consent Certain Procedures: Would require physicians to get specific consent from patients for a pelvic or rectal examination for anesthetized patients.

SB 333, Establish Surgical Technology Standards: Would create education requirements for surgical technicians.