Healthcare

signed · North Carolina · Senate Aug 11, 2026

SB 445: Regulatory Reform Act of 2026.

SB 445 automatically adopts federal temporary waivers or modifications issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services or Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services under specific Social Security Act sections (1135 or 1812(f)) for North Carolina hospitals during declared emergencies. This means hospitals in disaster zones no longer need separate state approval to implement federal rule changes, directly affecting hospitals operating under such declarations. Key provisions include automatically waiving state hospital regulations to align with federal waivers and allowing temporary increases in bed capacity without additional state review. The bill streamlines emergency hospital operations by eliminating bureaucratic delays in applying federally authorized relief measures.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAutomates federal waiver adoption for NC hospitals in disasters, removing state approval barriers to maintain healthcare access during emergencies, directly supporting hospital operations under crisis conditions.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Healthcare

signed · North Carolina · House Aug 11, 2026

HB 562: Budget Technical Corrections Modifications.

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.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareUpdates mental health/professional qualification standards, expanding access to services by creating new pathways for associate and substance abuse professionals.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Healthcare

failed · North Carolina · Senate Aug 6, 2026

SB 177: Continuing Budget Adjustments.

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.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates new hospital assessment tax to fund Medicaid expansion, increasing state budget allocation for healthcare services.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands Medicaid HASP to include psychiatric hospitals with increased reimbursements, directly enhancing mental health service access and funding under Medicaid.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Healthcare

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signed · North Carolina · House Jul 7, 2026

HB 1104: Improve Involuntary Commitment Process and Enhance Public Safety.

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.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill mandates a study to identify gaps in involuntary commitment and improve clinical data sharing and training, aiming to strengthen mental health services and patient safety.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Healthcare

passed · North Carolina · House Jul 1, 2026

HB 1083: Voluntary Portable Benefits Plan Act.

This bill creates a voluntary program allowing businesses in North Carolina to contribute to portable benefit accounts for their independent contractors. The plan enables hiring parties to fund benefits such as health insurance, retirement, and disability through a third-party administrator, which helps contractors maintain coverage when moving between jobs. To encourage participation, the legislation allows businesses to deduct contributions as business expenses and permits contractors to exclude those amounts from their taxable income. Additionally, the bill includes a $100,000 appropriation to fund public education about the program, which will take effect on July 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill creates a voluntary program allowing businesses to contribute to portable benefit accounts for independent contractors, explicitly enabling funding for health insurance coverage.85% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill expands worker benefits by creating a voluntary program for portable benefits for independent contractors, strengthening their access to health, retirement, and disability coverage.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Healthcare

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passed both · North Carolina · House Jun 23, 2026

HB 565: Limit Use of AI Medicaid/Commercial Insurance.

HB 565 ("Check Yes, Save Lives") allows North Carolina taxpayers to register as organ donors by checking a box on their state income tax return, starting with tax returns for 2026 and later. This directly affects all North Carolina taxpayers who file income tax returns, providing a simple, automatic way to enroll in the organ donation program during annual tax filing. The bill amends tax and organ donation statutes to add income tax return enrollment as a valid method for making an anatomical gift (under Section 130A-412.7(1a)), while keeping existing options like driver's license or wills. It requires coordination between the Department of Revenue and Motor Vehicles to update the Organ Donor Registry, ensuring the tax-based enrollment is properly recorded. The policy change streamlines donor registration without altering the existing organ donation process or eligibility.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareSimplifies organ donor registration via tax forms, increasing donation rates and supporting public health initiatives in organ availability.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Healthcare

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failed · North Carolina · House Oct 23, 2025

HB 491: Medicaid Rebase Funding.

HB 491 prepares North Carolina's Medicaid program to implement work requirements if authorized by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). It requires the state's Division of Health Benefits to negotiate with CMS, notify oversight committees within 30 days of starting talks, and submit detailed reports after CMS approves any work requirements plan. The bill does not enact work requirements itself but establishes procedures for future implementation, including timelines for reporting funding needs. This would directly affect current Medicaid recipients if CMS approves work requirements, though the bill is procedural and conditional on federal approval. The legislation is currently in committee review and has not yet become law.

Topics ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcarePrepares for Medicaid work requirements (restricting eligibility/access), enabling potential coverage limitations under CMS authorization, not advancing healthcare access.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes 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 No ✗ Opposes Healthcare

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passed · North Carolina · House Apr 10, 2025

HB 123: Criminal Falsification of Medical Records.

HB 123 makes it a crime for health care providers to willfully destroy, alter, or falsify medical records to conceal medical errors causing patient harm, illegally obtain money, or hide facts related to potential legal claims. It creates specific criminal penalties: a serious felony for hiding errors that caused injury or death, a lesser felony for financial gain, and a misdemeanor for other concealment. The law applies to all health care providers and becomes effective December 1, 2025. It explicitly states this does not affect existing civil remedies available to patients.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill protects patient rights by criminalizing falsification of medical records that conceal errors causing harm, directly addressing healthcare transparency and safety standards.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Healthcare

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