2021 has been a tremendous year for the Affordable Healthcare Coalition because of your passion and commitment to better care and lower costs.
A lot has happened in the past 12 months.
First and foremost, it was a year of change.
We rebranded our Coalition from Fiscal Health NC to the Affordable Healthcare Coalition of North Carolina. Our new brand states clearly what we are about: affordable healthcare.
Along with the new brand, we launched a new website.
The site was designed for you. We wanted to build a one-stop source where you could:
- Find the latest healthcare news from the General Assembly and around the state.
- Contact your legislators on healthcare issues.
- See how your elected representatives voted on legislation that impacts your healthcare costs.
Also new this year was the launch of our first-ever Affordable Healthcare Scorecard. We scored a total of 15 bills ranging from surprise billing protections to costly mandates and expensive Big Pharma giveaways.
Because of your commitment and advocacy, three bills we scored and supported are now law. These bills include:
- A new, more affordable health insurance option for small businesses, workers, and their families.
- Reforms to increase competition in the healthcare industry which will lower costs and improve quality for consumers.
- Rx reforms that will increase prescription drug pricing transparency, establish important consumer protections, and help people save at the pharmacy.
As important, no bills we scored and opposed are now law.
This includes the costly telehealth mandate legislation pushed by the Big Hospital Lobby which would have dramatically increased the price of healthcare for families across North Carolina.
Be on the lookout. Grades for each legislator will be released after the new year.
Moving into next year, there will be more challenges to face and battles to fight. The Big Pharma Lobby and the Big Hospital Lobby are strong. They will flex their muscles and wallets at the legislature.
But we have something they don’t: you.
Our passionate, engaged grassroots coalition is what allows us to go toe-to-toe with those who want to raise the cost of your hospital bills, insurance premiums and prescription drugs.
The battles won’t be easy – they weren’t this year, and they never are – but with your support we will win them again.
And bit by bit, together, we will make North Carolina the most consumer-friendly healthcare state in the country.
As always, thank you for everything you bring to our Coalition. We are only as strong as your voice.
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