Healthcare

passed · North Carolina · House Jun 25, 2025

HB 480: Medical Board Licensing Efficiency Act.

HB 480 creates a new pathway for doctors, physician assistants, and anesthesiologist assistants to obtain North Carolina medical licenses by transferring licenses from other states ("licensure by endorsement"). To qualify, applicants must have held an active license in another U.S. jurisdiction for at least five years (with two years of practice post-residency for doctors), have a verified full-time job offer in North Carolina, maintain good standing with no recent disciplinary actions, and meet practice hour requirements. The bill increases application fees for endorsement (e.g., $825 for physicians vs. $400 for standard licensure) and requires additional documentation within 180 days to keep the license active. This directly affects out-of-state medical professionals seeking to practice in North Carolina without retaking exams.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareStreamlines medical licensing for providers, increasing healthcare access and provider availability in North Carolina.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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passed · North Carolina · House Jun 24, 2025

HB 578: The Jason Flatt Act of North Carolina.

HB 578, the Jason Flatt Act, requires all North Carolina public K-12 schools to implement suicide prevention education and training for school staff. It mandates that licensed educators complete at least one hour of annual suicide prevention training, while staff working with grades 6-12 must receive guidelines for identifying at-risk students and procedures for referrals. Schools must adopt a mental health plan including these elements, with initial staff training of six hours (within six months of hire) and two hours annually thereafter. The law applies to all public schools, charter schools, regional schools, and lab schools starting the 2025-2026 school year.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates suicide prevention training for K-12 staff, enhancing mental health support within educational settings per bill requirements.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates suicide prevention training and mental health plans in schools, strengthening mental health services under public health initiatives.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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passed both · North Carolina · Senate Jun 16, 2025

SB 171: Pract. Transparency/Reagan's Law/Sam's Law.

SB 171 allows licensed psychological associates in North Carolina to practice independently without direct supervision after completing 3,000 hours of supervised experience over 24-60 months. This directly affects psychological associates who meet the experience requirement, reducing regulatory barriers to their practice. The bill amends licensing rules to establish this pathway, requiring an application with proof of experience and granting certification as a "health services provider psychological associate." It also updates board composition rules to ensure balanced representation. The changes take effect October 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareReduces regulatory barriers for mental health professionals, improving access to services by allowing independent practice after experience requirements.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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signed · North Carolina · House Jun 13, 2025

HB 231: Social Work Interstate Licensure Compact.

HB 231 establishes North Carolina's participation in the Social Work Interstate Licensure Compact, allowing licensed social workers from participating states to practice across state lines without obtaining separate licenses in each state. The bill directly affects licensed social workers seeking to provide services in multiple states, particularly those serving military families or addressing workforce shortages. Key provisions include mutual recognition of licenses among member states, accountability for social workers practicing where clients are located, and streamlined processes for disciplinary information sharing. This reduces duplicate licensing requirements while maintaining state authority to protect public health and safety through existing licensure systems.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill removes licensure barriers for social workers, directly improving access to mental health services and supporting workforce mobility in healthcare.95% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransBill facilitates social workers serving military families (including veterans' families), improving access to social services and addressing workforce shortages in veteran support.75% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

passed · North Carolina · House May 7, 2025

HB 489: Insurance Coverage Emergency Ambulance Transportation.

House Bill 489 establishes a minimum reimbursement rate for emergency ambulance transportation services provided by out-of-network providers under health benefit plans. It mandates that insurers pay these out-of-network ambulance providers directly and sets a cap on the cost-sharing amounts that insured individuals must pay for these services. The minimum reimbursement rate is determined by local government rates, or if none, by comparing 400% of the Medicare rate to the provider's billed charges. This bill affects individuals needing emergency ambulance services, health insurers, and ambulance service providers, with an effective date of October 1, 2025, for new or renewed insurance contracts.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareSets minimum ambulance reimbursement rates and caps patient cost-sharing, improving access to emergency services under health insurance.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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passed · North Carolina · House May 7, 2025

HB 572: Veterans/Electroencephalogram Combined Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Pilot Program.

HB 572 authorizes the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs to establish a statewide pilot program providing Electroencephalogram combined Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (eTMS) treatment. This program is for veterans, first responders, and their immediate family members experiencing conditions such as substance use disorders, mental illness, sleep disorders, traumatic brain injuries, and PTSD. The Department will select a provider to create a network for in-person and off-site care, aiming for statewide access. Participants in the program will also receive neurophysiological monitoring, counseling, wellness programming, and access to a peer-to-peer support network. The selected provider must collect and report treatment outcomes and expenditures to the Department and legislative committees by September 15, 2026.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAuthorizes pilot program for eTMS mental health treatment access for veterans and first responders, directly expanding healthcare services under mental health and health services subjects.95% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransEstablishes eTMS pilot program for veterans' mental health/PTSD treatment via Veterans Affairs department, directly expanding healthcare access for covered conditions.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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passed · North Carolina · House May 5, 2025

HB 139: Baby Boxes/Newborn Safety Device.

HB 139, titled "Baby Boxes/Newborn Safety Device," allows for the safe surrender of infants up to 30 days old using a specialized newborn safety device. This bill permits parents to place an infant in these devices, which must have a dual alarm system connected to the facility and be tested monthly. These devices can only be installed at continuously staffed emergency departments, emergency facilities, or social services offices, where qualified healthcare providers, first responders, or social services workers will take temporary custody of the infant. The act is set to become effective on October 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill creates healthcare facility-based safe surrender system for newborns, enhancing public health safety and aligning with health services/hospitals subjects.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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passed · North Carolina · House May 1, 2025

HB 156: Increase Access for Small Employers/Insurance.

HB 156 sets minimum standards for stop loss, catastrophic, and reinsurance coverage provided to small employers in North Carolina. It directly affects small employers (defined as those with fewer than 12 eligible employees) and insurers selling these specific insurance products. The bill requires insurers to maintain a minimum annual attachment point of $20,000 per individual (adjusted annually using the Consumer Price Index) and a minimum aggregate attachment point of either 120% of expected claims or $20,000 per year. These standards apply to all new, renewed, or amended insurance contracts issued on or after October 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareSets minimum insurance standards (e.g., $20k attachment point) for small employers, directly improving coverage access and protecting against excessive out-of-pocket costs for healthcare services.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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passed · North Carolina · House Apr 30, 2025

HB 163: Pharmacy Benefits Manager Provisions.

HB 163 regulates Pharmacy Benefits Managers (PBMs) to ensure fair practices for pharmacies and insured individuals. The bill prohibits PBMs from charging insurers more for a prescription drug than they pay the pharmacy (spread pricing) and requires patient out-of-pocket costs to be based on the net price after any PBM concessions. It establishes minimum reimbursement standards for pharmacies, preventing PBMs from paying less than the national average drug acquisition cost plus a dispensing fee. Additionally, it clarifies that PBMs cannot restrict accredited pharmacies from dispensing specialty drugs and strengthens audit protections for pharmacies.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareProhibits spread pricing and mandates fair reimbursement for pharmacies, lowering patient costs and ensuring access to medications within healthcare services.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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passed · North Carolina · House Apr 30, 2025

HB 107: Adopt Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP) Awareness Week.

House Bill 107 designates the second week of November each year as Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP) Awareness Week in North Carolina. Additionally, it encourages local boards of education to develop and offer seizure awareness training for school personnel who are responsible for students with epilepsy or who are otherwise predisposed to seizures. This training aims to provide school staff with information to support these students.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareDesignates SUDEP Awareness Week and mandates school seizure training, advancing public health education for epilepsy management.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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