GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1989

H	1 

HOUSE BILL 430

Short Title:  Community Health Access/Funds.	(Public)
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Sponsors: Representatives Cooper; Barnhill, Jones, and Bowman.
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Referred to:  Human Resources.
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March 2, 1989

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO DEVELOP A COMMUNITY HEALTH ACCESS PROGRAM AND TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS.
Whereas, there is a large group of low-paid, uninsured workers, many of whom work for very small firms, who will remain largely untouched by strategies designed to expand employer-sponsored insurance coverage; and
Whereas, there are many small employers who are unable to offer insurance coverage to their workers; and
Whereas, the North Carolina Trust Commission has included the Community Health Access Program in its recommendation for funding to the General Assembly; and
Whereas, the Indigent Care Study Commission, in its 1989 Report to the General Assembly, recommended the implementation of a multi-year Community Health Access Program that is designed to improve and expand the capacity of community health delivery systems better to serve the uninsured poor;  Now, therefore,
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  (a) There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Human Resources, Division of Facility Services, Office of Health Resources Development, the sum of two hundred twenty-five thousand dollars ($225,000) for the 1989-90 fiscal year and the sum of one million four hundred twenty-five thousand dollars ($1,425,000) for the 1990-91 fiscal year to establish and administer a Community Health Access Demonstration Program.  These funds shall be allocated as follows:
(1)	Of the funds appropriated for the 1989-90 fiscal year, one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) shall be used for the development, coordination, and administration of five Community Health Access Demonstration Program demonstration grants and seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000) shall be used for the administration of the Demonstration Program.
(2)	Of the funds appropriated for the 1990-91 fiscal year, one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) shall be used for the development, coordination, and administration of five Community Health Access Demonstration Program demonstration grants, one million two hundred thousand dollars ($1,200,000) shall be used to fund patient care grants in the five demonstration projects, and seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000) shall be used for the administration of the Demonstration Program.
(b) The Office of Health Resources Development, Division of Facility Services, Department of Human Resources, shall report to the Human Resources Subcommittee of the Joint Legislative Committee on Governmental Operations by May 1, 1990, regarding the progress of implementing the Demonstration Program.
Sec. 2.  This act shall become effective July 1, 1989.