Did you know North Carolina currently has 55 health care mandates? This is just one less than California and the 14th most in the nation, according to this Carolina Journal article. Going into the 2014 Legislative Session, there are still 10 insurance mandate bills that could be up for consideration. Each insurance mandate, in and of itself, carries a significant price tag for both small and large employers. When you consider the cumulative cost of all the mandates, this would make the cost of a job almost unbearable for many small businesses.

We have heard your concerns about the burdens of health care costs and coverage mandates and we have included this issue as a priority in the 2014 JOBS Agenda, opposing health care mandates that place additional cost burdens on our state’s job creators. Additionally, we urged members of the legislative Joint Study Committee on the Affordable Care Act and Implementation Issue to impose no new coverage mandates during the 2014 Legislative Session. Read our letter to the committee.

Within the Competitive Business Climate pillar in North Carolina Vision 2030, health care is outlined as a critical priority that requires long-term focus in order to achieve robust economic growth. We will keep you updated on the status of this issue throughout the legislative session.