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Primary Sponsor

Last Action

Conferees Changed2026-04-06

Vote Breakdown

Plain Language Summary

This bill aims to lower healthcare costs and increase price transparency in North Carolina through multiple measures: requiring hospitals and surgical facilities to publicly report pricing information on common procedures, mandating clear billing disclosures to patients about out-of-network providers, establishing good-faith cost estimates for scheduled procedures, limiting facility fees charged by hospitals, and strengthening prior authorization and appeals processes for health insurance.

Arguments in Favor

• •Supporters argue this bill addresses North Carolina's high healthcare costs by increasing price transparency, allowing patients to comparison shop and make informed decisions about care.
• •The bill protects consumers from surprise out-of-network bills and unexpected charges, establishes accountability through mandatory reporting of facility fees, and gives patients tools like good-faith estimates to budget for care.
• •Proponents believe competition driven by price information will incentivize providers to lower costs and improve quality.

Arguments Against

• •Opponents may contend that the bill creates significant compliance burdens and administrative costs for hospitals and healthcare providers, particularly smaller facilities.
• •Concerns include that price transparency alone may not lower costs without addressing underlying structural issues in healthcare, that facility fees have legitimate operational purposes, and that some requirements (like the 5% good-faith estimate variance cap) could be difficult to implement accurately.
• •Some argue the bill primarily shifts responsibility to consumers rather than addressing systemic cost drivers.