Senate committee substitute to the 2nd edition removes the content of the previous edition and replaces it with the following. Makes conforming changes to the act’s titles.
Includes whereas clauses.
Section 1
Requires the Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Health Benefits, to: (1) disenroll Planned Parenthood Federation of America Inc. and associated entities as Medicaid providers; (2) discontinue any Medicaid contracts with Planned Parenthood Federation of America Inc. and associated entities; and (3) engage other Medicaid providers to provide Medicaid services previously provided by Planned Parenthood Federation of America Inc. and associated entities.
Section 2
Adds new Article 11C to GS Chapter 131E, entitled “Fair Billing and Collection Practices for Hospitals and Ambulatory Surgical Facilities," as follows. Recodifies GS 131E-91(fair billing and collections practices for hospitals and ambulatory surgical facilities) as GS 131E-214.50, and reorganizes that provision into new Article 11C. Requires a hospital or ambulatory surgical facility to first present an itemized list of charges to the patient detailing the specific nature of the charges or expenses incurred by the patient before referring the bill to collections as another required collections practice under new GS 131E-214.50. Enacts new GS 131E-215.52 (patient’s right to a good faith estimate) as part of new Article 11C, as follows. Defines CMS, facility (licensed hospital or ambulatory surgical facility), items and services, service package, and shoppable service (a non-urgent service that can be scheduled by the patient in advance). Requires a facility to provide, upon request, a good faith estimate for a shoppable service as described. Limits a patient’s final bill from exceeding more than 5% of the good faith estimate. Requires DHHS to adopt rules to implement the statute.
Effective on the later of January 1, 2026, or the date the rules adopted by DHHS under GS 131E-214.52 take effect and applies to acts occurring on or after that date. Requires DHHS to notify the Revisor of Statutes when the rules required under GS 131E-214.52 take effect.
Section 3
Provides that if there is a conflict between this act and GS 143C-5-4, the provisions of this act prevail. The appropriations and the authorizations to allocate and spend funds which are set out in this act remain in effect until the Current Operations Appropriations Act for the applicable fiscal year becomes law, at which time that act becomes effective and governs appropriations and expenditures. When the Current Operations Appropriations Act for that fiscal year becomes law, the Director of the Budget must adjust allotments to give effect to that act from July 1 of the fiscal year.
Section 4
Includes a severability clause.
Section 5
Effective retroactively to July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Filed: 115C-302.10
Edition 1: 115C-302.10
Edition 2: 115C-264, 115C-302.10, 147-11, 7A-101, 7A-102, 7A-171.1, 120-37, 135-5, 135-65, 120-4.22A
Edition 3: 131E-214.50