The General Assembly's main focus this week was on Medicaid expansion. The House finally passed a bill on the issue with overwhelming bipartisan support. The bill now heads to the Senate, where Medicaid expansion discussions will include the reform of Certificate of Need laws.

SEANC supports the repeal of CON laws to allow providers to send patients to ambulatory centers for outpatient surgeries and procedures and to avoid the high cost of hospital facilities.

Joint Appropriations meetings continued this week, with General Assembly fiscal staff presentations ahead of upcoming budget discussions.

Government Relations Director Suzanne Beasley participated in a press conference with State Treasurer Dale Folwell on Wednesday, announcing the findings of a report on hospital executive compensation. The report shows that CEOs at the state's largest hospitals have doubled their seven-figure salaries in the last five years while healthcare costs have skyrocketed.

"The solvency of the State Health Plan and lowering healthcare costs for members of the plan are core values for SEANC," Beasley said. "We believe this report on the exorbitant amounts of compensation for hospital executives further demonstrates the need for the pricing transparency that Treasurer Folwell has been seeking and the hospitals have been fighting."

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