North Carolina governor establishes commission to address rising health care costs

RALEIGH, N.C. (WLOS) — Gov. Josh Stein signed an executive order Tuesday, June 30, establishing the Health Care Affordability Commission to help make health care more affordable for North Carolinians.

The commission will be co-chaired by North Carolina State Treasurer Brad Briner and N.C. Secretary of Health and Human Services Dev Sangvai and will include health experts, medical providers, hospitals, insurers, researchers and patient advocates, according to the governor’s office.

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The goal of the commission is to “develop timely, concrete solutions to rein in surging health care costs,” a press release said.

“Health care costs are skyrocketing, and families are suffering,” Gov. Stein said in a statement. “I thank Secretary Sangvai and Treasurer Briner for their partnership, and I look forward to working with them to ensure North Carolinians can get access to and afford critical health care where and when they need it.”

The governor’s office said health care costs are climbing across the country, adding that health care spending in the United States has increased by nearly 50% more than in comparable countries.

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“As health care costs rise, the commission will be grounded in its mission to identify solutions, increase transparency, improve value and make health care more affordable as we build a healthier North Carolina,” Sangvai said in a statement.

The governor’s office listed the following priority areas for the Health Care Affordability Commission:

Improving transparency, data collection, and recordkeeping to better serve consumers and inform policymakers;promoting competition in the market for health care services, including increasing system capacity;addressing health care workforce shortages by increasing supply of providers, especially primary care providers;expanding access to and utilization of primary care across the state;exploring value-based care models; andexamining unique solutions to improve affordability in rural areas.

See a complete list of commission members below:

Voting Members:

Brad Briner, State Treasurer (co-chair)Devdutta Sangvai, M.D., Secretary, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (co-chair)Senator Gale Adcock, Member, North Carolina Senate Standing Committee on Health CareRepresentative Allen Buansi, Member, North Carolina House of Representatives Standing Committee on HealthSenator Benton Sawrey, Chair, North Carolina Senate Standing Committee on Health CareRepresentative Timothy Reeder, M.D., Chair, North Carolina House of Representatives Standing Committee on HealthKristin Walker, Director, Office of State Budget and Management

Advisory Members:

Josh Dobson, President & CEO, North Carolina Healthcare AssociationJohn Green, CEO, Iredell Health SystemSandraGreene, Senior Research Fellow, UNC Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services ResearchTina Gordon, CEO, North Carolina Nurses AssociationSteve Keene, President, North Carolina Medical SocietyRachel Keever, M.D., CEO, Foundation for Health Leadership and InnovationMark McClellan, M.D., Director, Duke Margolis Center for Health PolicyKaren McLeod, President & CEO, BenchmarksPaigeOuimet, Professor, UNC Kenan Institute of Private EnterpriseCristy Page, M.D., CEO, UNC Health and Dean, UNC School of MedicineMichelle Ries, Director, North Carolina Institute of MedicineNicholas Riggs, Director, North Carolina Navigator ConsortiumRob Robinson, President, North Carolina Association of Public Community Health PlansGary Salamido, President and CEO, NC ChamberDr. Tunde Sotunde, M.D., CEO, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North CarolinaLaurie Stradley, CEO, Impact HealthDave Werry, President, WellTom Wroth, M.D., President & CEO, Community Care of North Carolina