Encore! EP249: The War on Financial Toxicity in North Carolina as a Case Study Everybody Should Be Keeping Their Eye On, With Dale Folwell, North Carolina State Treasurer

In this episode of Relentless Health Value, we delve into the perplexing state of healthcare legislation in North Carolina. Unlike the proactive measures taken by other states such as Texas, Indiana, and Wisconsin, North Carolina seems to be an outlier with its current legislative actions, despite its Republican majority legislature.

Normally, a bit of divergence can be intriguing, but the current direction in North Carolina raises significant concerns for families and businesses struggling with healthcare costs. The situation here serves as both a case study and a cautionary tale for the rest of the country.

We examine two key pieces of legislation moving through North Carolina's Senate and House. One involves Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) pushing for the ability to create a holding company to invest policyholder payments into for-profit ventures, despite BCBS being a nonprofit. Historical precedents of similar actions suggest a likely increase in premiums, as discussed by Chris Deacon.

The second bill involves UNC Health Care potentially gaining the green light to expand its reach with less oversight, supposedly to support struggling rural hospitals. However, evidence suggests that such unfettered consolidation often harms local communities financially without improving patient outcomes.

To provide deeper insight, we revisit a 2019 interview with North Carolina State Treasurer Dale Folwell. He shares the frustrating journey of the State Employees Health Plan (SEHP) in attempting to implement a transparent pricing schedule for network hospitals, a move opposed by some of the state’s largest hospital chains.

Tune in to understand the implications of these legislative moves and the broader impact on healthcare costs and quality in North Carolina and beyond.

Learn more about these issues at nctreasurer.com and connect with Treasurer Folwell on Twitter at @DaleFolwell or on Facebook at Dale Folwell.