HCW Benefits Blog

Contributor:
Laura Bibb, JD, Compliance Officer
Hill, Chesson & Woody

Yesterday, in a final vote, the NC House of Representatives approved the Senate’s changes to House Bill 2, “Protect Health Care Freedom,” by a vote of 69 to 49.  The Senate approved the bill last week by a vote of 30 to 18. 

House Bill 2, which attempts to block the application of healthcare reform’s individual mandate provision and applicable penalties to North Carolinians and requires Attorney General Roy Cooper to defend any federal challenges to the bill, is now headed to Governor Perdue’s desk for her signature. 

If Governor Perdue does not take any action, the bill will become law within 10 days, even without her signature.  It is possible that Governor Perdue could veto the bill, which would require a 3/5 majority vote in both the House and Senate to override her veto. However, in a recent interview (http://www.wral.com/news/state/story/9137069/), she indicated she will likely neither veto nor sign the bill. 

If House Bill 2 becomes law, the next battle will be whether North Carolina law is preempted by healthcare reform which is a federal law. 

Stay tuned and dowload the HCW Reform Guide for more information.