Live from the Legislature
House Bill 265 sets up a high-risk insurance pool. Supporters claim there are 1.4 million uninsured people in North Carolina. Of these, the high risk pool would cover the sickest and poorest. A feasibility study shows that about 2,000 people would initially be included at a cost of 2 million dollars. By 2018, over 13,000 people be covered at a cost of 46 million dollars.
Skip Stam (R Wake) proposed an amendment to appropriate money out of the General Fund. He argues that funding out of the General Fund provides transparency and equity in funding.
Under the bill as written, only a small portion of people paying for health insurance will be assessed to pay for those in the high-risk pool. When money is spent for a public good, it should be paid for with public money.
After a lengthy debate, vote on the Stam amendment;
Yes: 49
No: 64
After additional debate on the High-Risk Insurance Bill, it passed 2nd Reading.
Yes: 102
No: 12
