Building a better State Health Plan requires collaboration

Raleigh, NC – March 28, 2019  This week, leaders and members of the House Health Committee stood up for the people and communities that elected them by supporting House Bill 184, calling for a study committee to evaluate and recommend redesign of the State Health Plan. The legislation, which passed the Committee by an overwhelming majority, was introduced in response to the State Treasurer’s proposal to move the State Health Plan to a reference-based pricing model using federal Medicare rates, which could reduce access to care in many areas of our state 

“We are grateful to legislators for advocating for a collaborative process to build a stronger, more sustainable State Health Plan,” said Steve Lawler, president of the North Carolina Healthcare Association. “The study committee will bring key stakeholders together to find a solution that is based on supporting state employees, teachers and retirees in getting and staying healthy, as well as managing costs for the taxpayers of our great state.” 

The plan calls for committee representation from the State Employees Association of North Carolina, the Retired Governmental Employees Association of North Carolina, the North Carolina Association of Educators, the North Carolina Medical Society, the North Carolina Healthcare Association, the North Carolina Nurses’ Association, and the North Carolina Psychiatry Association, as well as the State Health Plan executive administrator and members from the House and Senate. The State Treasurer would also be a member of the committee.  

Healthcare providers across the state are advocating for a value-based care model, in which providers assume financial risk for patient outcomes, as a way to improve care management in the State Health Plan and promote employee engagement in their own health. Successful models are already in place across the state, generating savings for local municipalities and the federal government, but more importantly, improving health outcomes for individuals, including those with chronic diseases 

 “A value-based model ensures we focus not only on those who are sick, but do all we can to keep people healthy and well,” said Terry Akin, Cone Health CEO and member of the NCHA Board of Trustees. “We focus on preventive care and work especially closely with people who are chronically ill to make sure they get the care they need, when and where they need it. It is a proven solution that is already keeping people healthier and substantially lowering health care costs.” 

 

The North Carolina Healthcare Association represents more than 130 healthcare provider organizations across North Carolina, including teaching, rural, small community, suburban, specialty, and continuing care facilities that provide primary, acute, rehabilitative, behavioral, and psychiatric care as well as veterans’ services. 

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