STATEMENT: “Amendment” to HB 933 does nothing to protect individuals with pre-existing conditions

RALEIGH (June 14, 2018) – This afternoon the NC Senate passed an “amended” version of a bill that jeopardizes protections for people with pre-existing conditions. As approved by the Senate, the amended HB 933 would allow new “health insurance” companies to skirt state oversight and bypass federal rules, allowing them to sell policies that engage in underwriting. They could cherry pick young and healthy enrollees into bare-bones plans while older adults, people with pre-existing conditions, and women in need of maternity coverage face higher premiums as the risk pool gets sicker and older.

This amendment does nothing to protect North Carolinians from discrimination by these new unregulated health insurance companies. Now these plans cannot technically refuse to cover you, but they can increase your premiums at unlimited rates based your age, gender, or pre-existing conditions.

North Carolinians with pre-existing conditions can still be priced out of coverage, which is effectively a denial of coverage.

We cannot let pre-existing conditions prevent people – once again – from getting health insurance. When the NC House convenes this afternoon we hope they agree no one should be denied health care or charged more because of their conditions.