Health care tactic focus of bill going to McCrory
Bill aimed at prohibiting Blue Cross from contract negotiating provision headed to NC governor
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) -- Gov. Pat McCrory will soon have a bill prohibiting a health care insurance negotiating tactic that rivals of Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina argue it uses to discourage competition and inflate health care costs.
The Senate voted 40-7 Monday night to bar what's known as "most favored nation" provisions in contracts between insurers and medical providers. The House already passed the bill. It now goes to the governor, who'll be asked to sign the bill into law.
There was no Senate debate on the measure, which bars all insurance companies from writing contracts that require medical providers to give them whatever discounts their rivals are getting.
Blue Cross opposed the bill even though it says it's not been enforcing the provisions.
