Lower-Cost Insurance Offering For NC Business Gets OK

Insurance companies can offer North Carolina small businesses a different kind of health coverage that limits provider options but also attempts to reduce costs in a measure heading to Gov. Roy Cooper’s desk. The legislature gave final approval this week to the idea of exclusive provider benefit plans. They work somewhat like preferred provider organization plans, except patients won't be covered when they go to out-of-network doctors. Senate Republicans say while large, self-insured companies already can offer EPO plans to their workers in North Carolina, small businesses can’t without the measure. The bill passed the House and Senate by overwhelming margins.