Stein creates bipartisan commission to address rising North Carolina health care costs

North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein is creating a bipartisan commission to recommend ways to lower healthcare costs in North Carolina.

Executive Order 39, signed by the Democratic governor on Tuesday, establishes the Health Care Affordability Commission, co-chaired by Republican State Treasurer Brad Briner and Devdutta Sangvai, who oversees the state Department of Health and Human Services. The commission includes lawmakers, healthcare providers, insurers, researchers and patient advocates.

Stein said rising healthcare costs are making it harder for North Carolinians to afford care.

"Healthcare costs are skyrocketing, and families are suffering," Stein said in a statement. "I look forward to working with them to ensure North Carolinians can get access to and afford critical healthcare where and when they need it."

The commission is expected to focus on improving transparency, promoting competition, addressing workforce shortages, expanding primary care, advancing value-based care and improving affordability in rural communities.

The executive order comes as North Carolina's State Health Plan grapples with rising medical costs. Earlier this month, the State Health Plan Board of Trustees, which is chaired by Briner,  approved higher out-of-pocket costs for nearly 180,000 retirees enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans, citing growing healthcare expenses and a more than $1 billion projected deficit. 

Briner said rising costs are unsustainable for the State Health Plan, which covers more than 750,000 teachers, state employees, retirees and their families.

“All consumers of healthcare, which is literally everyone in our state, experience the same thing 

year after year,” Briner said. "Costs continue to rise faster than the incomes we need to pay for them. … We aspire to deliver a vision of what a functioning healthcare system could look like, in addition to near-term concrete recommendations."

Sangvai said the commission will focus on increasing transparency, improving value and lowering costs.

Voting members of the commission include Briner, Sangvai, Sens. Gale Adcock, D-Wake, and Benton Sawrey, R-Johnston; Reps. Allen Buansi, D-Durham and Tim Reeder, R-Pitt; and Office of State Budget and Management Director Kristin Walker. Advisory members include leaders from hospitals, physician groups, insurers, businesses and health policy organizations.

Stein in April signed into law House Bill 696, fully funding Medicaid and protecting coverage for the more than 730,000 North Carolinians who benefit from the health program. 

In October, Stein announced that the state’s medical debt relief program erased more than $6.5 billion in medical debt for more than 2.5 million North Carolinians.