North Carolina legislation · 2025-2026 Session
North Carolina H1175: Affordability in Healthcare Act.
Status: In committee, May 4, 2026
What the bill says
An act to lower healthcare costs, increase competition in the health insurance market, and improve value and transparency by leveraging the state's purchasing power; to establish a low-cost, affordable health plan option on the affordable care act health insurance marketplace; to create a healthcare purchasing consortium to align public procurement; to appropriate funds for implementation; to continue and expand healthy opportunities activities to promote chronic disease prevention…
From the introduced text:
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT TO LOWER HEALTHCARE COSTS, INCREASE COMPETITION IN THE HEALTH INSURANCE MARKET, AND IMPROVE VALUE AND TRANSPARENCY BY LEVERAGING THE STATE'S PURCHASING POWER; TO ESTABLISH A LOW-COST, AFFORDABLE HEALTH PLAN OPTION ON THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT HEALTH INSURANCE MARKETPLACE; TO CREATE A HEALTHCARE PURCHASING CONSORTIUM TO ALIGN PUBLIC PROCUREMENT; TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS FOR IMPLEMENTATION; TO CONTINUE AND EXPAND HEALTHY OPPORTUNITIES ACTIVITIES TO PROMOTE CHRONIC DISEASE PREVENTION; TO ELIMINATE CERTIFICATE OF NEED REVIEW FOR INPATIENT REHABILITATION SERVICES, REHABILITATION FACILITIES, AND REHABILITATION BEDS; TO PROVIDE GREATER PROTECTION FOR ESSENTIAL RURAL HEALTH SERVICES; AND TO PRESERVE COMPETITION IN HEALTHCARE BY REGULATING THE CONSOLIDATION AND CONVEYANCE OF HOSPITALS. Whereas, the people of North Carolina are entitled to timely, affordable, and high-quality healthcare as a matter of human dignity, public welfare, and fundamental fairness; and Whereas, healthcare is not a luxury but a necessity, and the inability to obtain needed care or coverage endangers the lives, well-being, and economic security of individuals, families, and communities across this State; and Whereas, in 2026, the cost of healthcare in North Carolina remains too high for too many residents, employers, and taxpayers, driven in part by market consolidation, opaque pricing, administrative burdens, avoidable chronic disease, barriers to meaningful competition, and billing and facility practices that increase costs without commensurate improvement in patient …