Bill > S536

This bill aims to expand maternity care coverage and access for home and birthing center births in North Carolina. It requires health benefit plans that provide maternity coverage to ensure coverage for births occurring at home or in birthing centers, treating these options as equivalent to hospital births. The bill mandates that the State Medicaid program provide reimbursement for home and birthing center births at 90% of the average commercial rate, and directs the State Health Plan for Teachers and State Employees to create incentives for birthing center care, including potential subsidies up to $1,500 per birth. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of State Treasurer are tasked with implementing these changes, with most provisions becoming effective on July 1, 2025, or the start of the next plan year. The bill's goal appears to be increasing birthing options and supporting alternative birth settings while ensuring comprehensive insurance coverage and reimbursement for these services.

https://www.ncleg.gov/BillLookUp/2025/S536