This session we were determined to make health care in North Carolina better and keep our people healthy and strong.
We took big steps in that effort. This session we approved landmark legislation on a range of health issues including the Medicaid swap, mental health parity, and insurance reform.
As always, thank you for your support and for allowing me to share this information with you. Please feel free to contact me if I can be of assistance.
Medicaid
Medicaid costs — an estimated 500 million dollars this fiscal year- are a huge burden for counties to bear. The state will take over the counties’ share of Medicaid costs in a three year phase out. This will help ensure the long-term viability of this program and protects our small and rural counties with a large number of people on Medicaid. We are very proud of this Medicaid swap. Every county will end up with at least 500 thousand dollars more than they would have had otherwise. This is going to free up money in the counties for school construction and other needs and that means, we hope, lower taxes and a better standard of living for you.
What it means for health care is that people who receive this service can expect the same standard of care they have always received. And we believe that shifting the entire cost to the state means that the long-term financial stability of the program won’t be threatened. This is a major relief for all of us.
Mental Health Parity
This session the General Assembly passed and Gov. Easley signed a law that provides insurance parity to people who receive mental health services. The new law (H 973) requires insurance companies to cover bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, anorexia nervosa, bulimia, and three other mental illnesses the same way that they treat and cover physical illnesses. All other mental health conditions will be covered for up to 30 inpatient/outpatient days and 30 office visits. Mental health parity has been debated in the legislature for 15 years, so to finally pass it is a real watershed event.
High-Risk Insurance Pool
This session the General Assembly also ratified a bill (H 265) that will create a high risk insurance pool to help those who suffer from serious or terminal illnesses. These people are often considered uninsurable or are forced to pay expensive premiums because of their illness. This pool will make sure they get the affordable insurance they deserve and ultimately receive the preventative care they need to stay healthy.
Children’s Insurance
We gave North Carolina’s Health Choice (SCHIP) $59 million to provide healthcare to the 246,000 uninsured children in this state. Families who make too much money to qualify for Medicaid but cannot afford rising health insurance premiums can get free or reduced price comprehensive health care for their children with NC Health Choice. It offers the same coverage provided by the state indemnity health plan for the families of state employees and teachers, plus vision, hearing and dental benefits. The out of pocket costs for the program cannot exceed five percent of the family’s income.
We have also appropriated $250,000 for pediatric diabetes prevention and education.
The Smart Start program will receive nearly one and a half million dollars. Smart Start is an early childhood education program that makes sure children in all counties are healthy and ready for school. Smart Start funds are used to improve the quality of child care, make child care more affordable and accessible, provide access to health services and offer family support.
NC Kids’ Care will receive $7 million to expand health coverage to children between 200-300% of the federal poverty level. This expansion of health insurance means that thousands more children will become eligible for affordable health coverage. NC Kids’ Care, which begins on July 1, 2008, will make available affordable health insurance coverage to 38,000 currently uninsured children Families would pay deductibles, co-payments and monthly premiums subsidized on a sliding scale based on income.
Insurance and Prescriptions
We in the General Assembly believe that health insurance should be included with employment. We have given a tax credit to small businesses that provide health insurance to their employees. This will help lower the employers’ cost of providing health insurance and increase the number of people who have insurance at the same time.
NC Health Net, a program that coordinates free care for low income uninsured patients will receive almost $3 million.
The Medication Access and Review Program will receive more than $500,000 to get free prescription drugs from pharmaceutical companies for the poor.
Health Centers
Community health centers and groups are on the frontline of the battle to keep our people strong. This session’s budget includes $5 million for rural health centers, free clinics, and school-based clinics. Local health departments will receive $1 million to help them reduce rates of cancer, diabetes, heart disease, obesity, injury, and infant mortality.
We will use $9.5 million dollars to buy and house 634,458 flu shots for flu season.
The State public health laboratory will receive $500,000 to test medications for HPV, food and tick borne diseases, and HIV testing for pregnant women.
$2 million will go towards HIV prevention. This funding will go to local health departments, HBCUs, and community organizations to provide HIV counseling, testing, and early medical interventions. In addition, the AIDS Drug Assistance Program and the Health Disparities Initiative will both receive $500,000.
We also banned smoking in government owned spaces with (H 24) and have made all schools tobacco free (S 1086).
The Allied Health Program will receive $5.6 million. The program is a course of study emphasized in the community college system to address the shortage of allied health jobs.
Women’s Health
Women’s Health Services will receive $200,000 to serve women who are uninsured and are not eligible for Medicaid. We have also set aside $2 million for screening and diagnostic services for breast and cervical cancer through the North Carolina Breast and Cervical Cancer Control Program.
Parents and guardians of children in grades 5-12 will receive information about cervical cancer, cervical dysplasia, human papillomavirus, and the vaccines. The General Assembly ratified a bill (S 260) that requires public schools to give parents this information at the beginning of the school year.
Please remember that you can visit the General Assembly’s website at www.ncleg.net to look up bills, view lawmaker biographies and access other information.
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As I’ve said many times before, I hope you will continue to let me know how you feel about the issues that are being debated by the North Carolina Legislature and the challenges you and your family are facing each day.
By working together, we can make Northampton, Vance and Warren Counties and all regions of North Carolina a better place to live, work and raise a family.