Healthcare

HB 562, the Healthcare Investment Act, updates qualification standards for mental health, developmental disabilities, and substance abuse professionals in North Carolina. It allows individuals with an associate degree in human services to qualify as Associate Professionals (with less than two years of experience) or Qualified Professionals (with two years of supervised experience). The bill also creates a new pathway for Qualified Substance Abuse Prevention Professionals (QSAPPs) to qualify with an associate degree and two years of supervised experience in addiction prevention - before completing a bachelor's degree. These changes will expand the pool of eligible professionals for state-funded services under the Commission for Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services.

HB 832 revises North Carolina's school safety grant program to expand eligible uses of funds for training aimed at improving student well-being and safety. It allows public school units to fund evidence-based programs including suicide prevention training (CALM), trauma-focused therapies (like cognitive behavioral therapy), violence prevention, and peer mentoring facilitation. The bill specifically permits up to $350,000 in annual funding for these expanded services, directly affecting school staff, counselors, and students in North Carolina public schools. This change modifies existing grant rules without creating new funding or altering overall program structure.

SB 177 expands North Carolina's Medicaid Healthcare Access and Stabilization Program (HASP) to include qualifying freestanding psychiatric hospitals, allowing them to receive increased reimbursements for services. The bill creates a new assessment (a fee) on these hospitals, calculated as a percentage of their hospital costs, to fund the program. To implement this, the state must seek federal approval from CMS to include psychiatric hospitals in HASP. This change directly affects all Medicare-certified, state-licensed freestanding psychiatric hospitals in North Carolina, requiring them to pay the new assessment while gaining eligibility for enhanced Medicaid payments.

This bill requires the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Information Technology, and the Administrative Office of the Courts to study the state's involuntary commitment process. The agencies must identify gaps in the current system and submit a report with recommendations by February 1, 2027. Key areas for improvement include ensuring judges receive timely clinical data, training legal officials on community-based treatment options, and updating electronic forms to capture consistent data. The legislation also aims to increase data sharing between health and court systems to support more effective legal and clinical outcomes.

HB 727 modifies the licensure process for marriage and family therapists and therapy associates in North Carolina. It streamlines the process for professionals licensed in other states to obtain a North Carolina license through reciprocity, making it mandatory for qualified applicants. The bill adjusts experience requirements and expands acceptable examination options to include California's clinical examination. Additionally, it clarifies that all applicants, including those applying via reciprocity, must undergo criminal history record checks. These changes aim to facilitate licensing for out-of-state therapists while maintaining regulatory oversight.

SB 316 requires North Carolina hospitals and ambulatory surgical facilities to publicly disclose detailed pricing information for common medical services, including full charges, negotiated rates, and reimbursements from Medicaid, Medicare, and major insurers. Beginning in 2015, these facilities must submit quarterly reports to the state health department on the 100 most frequent inpatient diagnoses (DRGs) and common surgical/imaging procedures. The data will be made publicly available online, enabling patients and employers to compare costs and make informed healthcare decisions. This bill directly affects healthcare providers by mandating transparency but does not alter insurance coverage or set price limits. Its key mechanism is standardized reporting of pricing data to foster competition and affordability in the healthcare market.

This bill proposes to repeal North Carolina's Certificate of Need (CON) laws, which currently require healthcare providers to obtain state approval for certain projects. These projects include building new facilities, expanding existing services, or acquiring major medical equipment. By eliminating these requirements, the bill would remove a regulatory step for various healthcare facilities, such as hospitals, nursing homes, and diagnostic centers, looking to establish or grow their operations. The bill achieves this by amending several state statutes to remove references to the Certificate of Need process.