IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO KILL A BAD BILL
House Bill 346. Passed 86-26. 04-27-23.
Senate Bill 296. Vote pending. This week.
House bill frees NC Senate to pander to insurance giant, punish customers. Even Democrats red flag bill enriching BCBS NC.
H.B. 346, Reorganization & Economic Development Act, sailed through three House committees, including Health, Insurance, and Rules, this week before passing 86-26 in the House Thursday and now heads to the Senate.
The bipartisan bill would allow Blue Cross Blue Shield North Carolina and Delta Dental to reorganize and create a holding company that could transfer billions in surplus policyholder money.
Rep. John Bradford, R-Mecklenburg, one of the bill’s primary co-sponsors, said various stakeholders got 90% of what they wanted as it passed through the House Health, Banking, and Rules committees, including amendments to the bill.
N.C. Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey, a Republican, voiced his opposition to the bill earlier this week, saying it lacked transparency and that healthcare premiums would likely rise as it allows BCBSNC to circumvent statutory limits on reserves that would otherwise require money to be returned to policyholders or reduce rates, which will more than likely raise rates for everyone with the company’s insurance.
Pricey Harrison (D-Guilford 61)
“We’ll end up with increasing premiums on the 4.4 million North Carolinians who are currently subscribed to Blue Cross Blue Shield, and the possibility of premium rebates will be eliminated.”
Deb Butler (D-New Hanover 18)
"When you’ve got a commissioner of insurance who does not support the bill and does not have the authority to stop what he perceives as the riskiest investments coming from this bill, that gives me great pause.”
CALL TO ACTION: KILL THE BILL
(CALL 919.733.5708)
Contact Sen. Phil Berger (R-26)
Sen. Berger betrayed Republicans by ramrodding passage of Medicaid expansion.
Now, Sen. Berger is bending a knee to Blue Cross Blue Shield because he'd rather bend the rules than forgo the insurer's permanent pipeline of donations to political campaigns. Read more.
Raleigh office: (919) 733-5708
Gang of 21
Three Republican Senators were primary sponsors of Senate Bill 296, joined by 18 other Republican co-sponsors (more than the number of Democrat co-sponsors). Each should be confronted by a direct question: Why are you supporting a cash laundering scheme?
These are the culprits: Todd Johnson; David Craven; Dean Proctor; Danny Britt Jr.; Jim Burgin; Kevin Corbin; Warren Daniel; Ralph Hise; Brent Jackson; Steve Jarvis; Joyce Krawiec; Michael Lazzara; Michael Lee; Timothy Moffitt; Brad Overcash; Jim Perry; Bill Rabon; Norman Sanderson; Benton Sawrey; Vickie Sawyer; and Eddie Settle.
Comments