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Primary Sponsor

Last Action

Serial Referral To Finance Stricken2025-04-17

Vote Breakdown

No floor votes recorded.

Plain Language Summary

This bill updates North Carolina insurance law to align with federal mental health parity requirements and enhance coverage for substance use disorder treatment. It requires health insurance plans to cover mental health conditions with the same terms and conditions as physical health conditions, mandates that substance use disorder treatment decisions use specific clinical criteria from the American Society of Addiction Medicine, and replaces outdated terminology throughout insurance regulations.

Arguments in Favor

• •Supporters argue this bill ensures North Carolinians with mental health conditions and addiction disorders receive equal insurance coverage compared to those with physical illnesses, eliminating discriminatory limits on treatment access.
• •They contend that using evidence-based addiction medicine criteria for treatment decisions improves care quality and removes arbitrary barriers that prevent people from getting necessary treatment, ultimately reducing costs from untreated substance use disorders.

Arguments Against

• •Opponents may argue that requiring insurance companies to use specific addiction medicine criteria limits their ability to control costs and manage their plans efficiently.
• •Some could be concerned that mandatory parity requirements and specific treatment standards might increase insurance premiums for all consumers, or that the bill's scope could lead to unfunded mandates on insurers and health plans.