After North Carolina was named the most expensive state for healthcare in the country, voters likely hoped their elected representatives would take action to address the problem.
Unfortunately, so far during this legislative session the State House has advanced bills that will make the problem much worse.
How much worse?
Roughly $2.4 billion a year worse.
It is a number so large that it is hard to fathom.
But when mandate after mandate are passed, the dollars add up quick.
Here is the running tally of legislation that will directly hit consumers in the wallet.
- HB163: A new $10.24 pharmacy tax on every prescription you fill.
- HB297: An imaging mandate that is a windfall for the radiologist lobby.
- HB434: A bill to lower overhead costs for provider systems by shifting costs onto businesses and premium payers.
- HB489: A mandate that consumers pay a minimum of 400% of Medicare rates for an ambulance.
- HB567: A mandate for costly and unnecessary lab testing that will boost the finances of big lab facilities.
- HB824: A brand name Rx mandate that will increase profits for Big Pharma.
- HB906: A mandate for paying unlimited costs for devices from medical equipment manufacturers.
Each one of these bills benefits a specific special interest group. And each one will force businesses, workers, and their families to pay more for the healthcare they need.
North Carolina is already the most expensive state for healthcare in the country.
Adding $2.4 billion a year to that tab is going to make a very bad problem a whole lot worse.
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