S257 - Appropriations Act of 2017. (SL 2017-57)

Overview: Sec. 11E.8 of S.L. 2017-57 requires the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Division of Public Health, to continue to implement within the NC ADAP a health insurance premium assistance program that:

• Is cost neutral or achieves savings;
• Utilizes federal funds from Part B of the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program and ADAP funds to provide individual ADAP participants or subsets of ADAP participants with premium and cost-sharing assistance for the purchase or maintenance of private health insurance coverage, including premiums, co-payments, and deductibles; and
• Meets the requirements of Section 12E.1 of S.L. 2016-94.

DHHS must submit a report to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Health and Human Services and the Fiscal Research Division on implementation of the health insurance premium assistance program that must include at least all of the following components:

• A detailed explanation of the program design;
• A demonstration of cost neutrality, which must include a comparison of the cost of providing prescription drugs to eligible beneficiaries through the new health insurance premium program and the existing ADAP program;
• Information on health outcomes of program participants; and
• Any obstacles to program implementation.

This section became effective July 1, 2017.