Increase Access for Small Employers/Insurance
Plain English Summary
This bill increases access to stop loss and catastrophic insurance coverage for small employers in North Carolina by lowering the threshold of what qualifies as a small employer from businesses with fewer than 12 employees to those with fewer than 5 employees. Stop loss insurance protects employers from unexpected large medical claims by their employees.
Arguments in Favor
Supporters argue this bill helps very small businesses afford health insurance for their employees by giving them access to stop loss coverage that protects against catastrophic medical expenses. By expanding eligibility to smaller employers, this change could make health benefits more financially feasible for micro-businesses with 5-11 employees, potentially increasing employee access to coverage and reducing the financial risk small business owners face.
Arguments Against
Opponents may argue that expanding stop loss coverage to smaller groups could increase insurance costs or reduce protections for individual employees if insurers price these policies differently. Some may be concerned that allowing smaller employers into this market could strain the insurance system or create adverse selection, where only higher-risk groups purchase the coverage, potentially raising costs for all participants.
AI-generated analysis based on bill text. Always verify with official sources at ncleg.gov. This is not legal or political advice.
Sponsors
Primary Sponsor
Representative · District 37
Primary Sponsor
Representative · District 12
Primary Sponsor
Representative · District 3
Primary Sponsor
Representative · District 26
Cosponsors (15)
Representative · District 5
Representative · District 42
Representative · District 48
Representative · District 25
Representative · District 23
Representative · District 68
Representative · District 45
Representative · District 84
Representative · District 6
Representative · District 74
Representative · District 117
Representative · District 83
Representative · District 73
Representative · District 9
Representative · District 113
Vote Breakdown (1 roll call)
Final Vote
On: Second Reading
Party Breakdown