Universal Healthcare.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
H 1
HOUSE BILL 714

Short Title: Universal Healthcare. (Public)
Sponsors: Representatives Brockman and Cunningham (Primary Sponsors).
For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
Referred to: Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
April 3, 2025
*H714-v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO CREATE ACC ESS TO AFFORDABLE HE ALTH INSURANCE BY 2
AUTHORIZING THE COMM ISSIONER OF INSURANC E TO ESTABLISH AND 3
OPERATE A UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE BENEFIT PLAN FOR RESIDENTS OF THIS 4
STATE. 5
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 6
SECTION 1. It is the intent of the General Assembly to create a mechanism for the 7
State to provide a universal healthcare benefit plan for the residents of the State. To that end, the 8
Commissioner of Insurance shall develop and make progress toward establishing and 9
implementing a universal healthcare benefit plan whereby residents pay premiums on a sliding 10
scale that aims to ensure affordability of the universal healthcare benefit plan based upon 11
household income level. Coverage will be available to residents with incomes that exceed those 12
that would otherwise qualify them for coverage under the Medicaid program. No later than 13
January 1, 2026, the Commissioner shall submit a report to the Joint Legislative Oversight 14
Committee on Health and Human Services detailing the plans for implementation of the coverage 15
required by this act. 16
SECTION 2.(a) G.S. 58-2-40(2) is recodified as G.S. 58-2-40(b). 17
SECTION 2.(b) G.S. 58-2-40, as amended by subsection (a) of this section, reads as 18
rewritten: 19
"§ 58-2-40. Powers and duties of Commissioner. 20
(a) The Commissioner shall:has the duty to do all of the following: 21
(1) See that all laws of this State that the Commissioner is responsible for 22
administering and the provisions of this Chapter are faithfully executed; and 23
to executed. To that end end, the Commissioner is authorized to adopt rules 24
rules, in accordance with Chapter 150B of the General Statutes, in order to 25
enforce, carry out and make effective the provisions of those laws. The 26
Commissioner is also authorized to adopt such further rules not contrary to 27
those laws that will prevent persons subject to the Commissioner's regulatory 28
authority from engaging in practices injurious to the public. 29
… 30
(b) Have The Commissioner shall have the power and authority to adopt rules pertaining 31
to and governing the solicitation of proxies, including related financial reporting in connection 32
therewith, reporting requirements, with respect to the capital stock or other equity securities of 33
any domestic stock insurance company. 34
General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 House Bill 714-First Edition
(c) The Commissioner shall establish a State-government run, universal healthcare 1
benefit plan. The Commissioner is authorized to do all of the following: 2
(1) Create any advisory board or committee for providing recommendations on 3
the creation, implementation, or operation of the universal healthcare benefit 4
plan. 5
(2) Set and collect premiums for the coverage in a manner that seeks to ensure 6
affordability and takes into account the household income level of the covered 7
persons. 8
(3) Design the benefit coverage available under the universal healthcare benefit 9
plan. This coverage shall meet or exceed all f ederal requirements for 10
individual health benefit plans under the Affordable Care Act." 11
SECTION 3. Effective July 1, 2025, there is appropriated from the General Fund to 12
the Department of Insurance the sum of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) in recurring 13
funds for the 2025 -2026 fiscal year to be used to plan for and begin the implementation of the 14
universal healthcare benefit plan required by this act. 15
SECTION 4. Except as otherwise provided, this act is effective when it becomes 16
law. 17