Bill > H434

Introduced Session

AN ACT LOWERING HEALTHCARE COSTS AND INCREASING PRICE TRANSPARENCY. Whereas, rising healthcare costs place a significant financial burden on individuals, families, employers, and taxpayers, greatly contribute to inflation, and make it increasingly difficult for residents to access essential healthcare services; and Whereas, North Carolina has intolerably high healthcare costs, with recent studies ranking the State 50th out of 50 in the United States; and Whereas, skyrocketing healthcare costs have resulted in over 40 percent of Americans reporting some type of healthcare debt, according to one study; and Whereas, many patients face unexpected medical bills due to a lack of disclosure about out-of-network providers and a general lack of transparency in healthcare pricing, resulting in financial strain and hardship; and Whereas, employers are burdened with the increasing costs of providing health insurance for employees, leading to higher premiums, deductibles, and out-of-pocket expenses; and Whereas, patients and employers are often unable to compare the costs of medical services due to a lack of clear and accessible pricing information, hindering their ability to make informed decisions; and Whereas, the absence of price transparency in the healthcare system leads to market inefficiencies, less awareness of price difference, less competition, and higher prices, with consumers often unable to identify the most cost-effective providers; and Whereas, transparency in healthcare pricing allows consumers to shop for affordable healthcare services and encourages competition among healthcare providers to offer more competitive pricing; and Whereas, providing consumers with clear, understandable, and accessible information about the costs of healthcare services will foster a more competitive and patient-centered healthcare market; and Whereas, requiring healthcare providers and insurers to disclose their prices in advance, including all providers and services a patient may need, both in-network and out-of-network, will enable consumers to make more informed choices about their care, leading to better healthcare outcomes at lower costs; and Whereas, price transparency will incentivize hospitals and healthcare providers to improve the quality of care while reducing prices, to the benefit of patients and employers; and Whereas, clear pricing and competition among healthcare providers will encourage innovation in healthcare delivery and improve overall efficiency within the system; and Whereas, empowering patients and employers with pricing information will help create a healthcare system that prioritizes affordability, access, and choice; and Whereas, President Trump recently signed an Executive Order to make healthcare prices transparent, "empower[ing] patients with clear, accurate, and actionable healthcare pricing information," also "ensur[ing] hospitals and insurers disclose actual prices, not estimates, and take action to make prices comparable across hospitals and insurers, including prescription drug prices"; Now, therefore,

AI Summary

Committee Categories

John Bell (R)*,  Grant Campbell (R)*,  Patricia Cotham (R)*,  Tim Reeder (R)*,  Eric Ager (D),  Jonathan Almond (R),  Dean Arp (R),  Amber Baker (D),  Mary Belk (D),  Brian Biggs (R),  Cecil Brockman (D),  Gloristine Brown (D),  Kanika Brown (D),  Allen Buansi (D),  Laura Budd (D),  Jennifer Capps Balkcom (R),  Becky Carney (D),  Richard Carver (R),  Maria Cervania (D),  Allen Chesser (R),  Mike Clampitt (R),  Tracy Clark (D),  Bryan Cohn (D),  Mike Colvin (D),  Allison Dahle (D),  Aisha Dew (D),  Jimmy Dixon (R),  Julia Greenfield (D),  Pricey Harrison (D),  Zack Hawkins (D),  Chris Humphrey (R),  Cody Huneycutt (R),  Neal Jackson (R),  Ray Jeffers (D),  Jake Johnson (R),  Donny Lambeth (R),  Donnie Loftis (R),  Brandon Lofton (D),  Tim Longest (D),  Jarrod Lowery (R),  Jeff McNeely (R),  Ray Pickett (R),  Larry Potts (R),  Lindsey Prather (D),  Heather Rhyne (R),  Stephen Ross (R),  Phil Rubin (D),  Mike Schietzelt (R),  Paul Scott (R),  Mitchell Setzer (R),  Charles Smith (D),  Larry Strickland (R),  Brian Turner (D),  Steve Tyson (R),  Bill Ward (R),  Harry Warren (R),  Diane Wheatley (R),  Donna White (R),  Shelly Willingham (D),  Jeff Zenger (R), 

Conf Com Appointed (on 06/24/2025)

Official Document