Carolina Solutions

Read the entire "Take Pride in Carolina" report here.

INCENT STATE HEALTH PLAN MEMBERS TO AUDIT MEDICAL CHARGES

Members of the State Health Plan (SHP) have often talked about being overcharged for medical care. A remedy to this would be the establishment of a self-audit program to correct billing errors. In this program, SHP members would check their bills and statements for inaccuracies, have verification of the mistake by an audit processor and then collect 10 percent of the recovered overpayment. With this model, the member is empowered to verify charges and the state recovers 90 percent of their overpayment, resulting in an estimated savings of $21 million for the taxpayers.

END PAYMENTS FOR HOSPITAL MISTAKES

We have all heard of hospital “never events” on the evening news – when people become sick or injured while they are hospitalized for something unrelated to their original illness. This can be due to provider negligence or poor sanitary conditions in the hospital environment. Charging additional costs due to a health care provider’s medical errors and carelessness is not something that taxpayers should be responsible for. In accordance with policies adopted by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the North Carolina SHP should eliminate provider reimbursement for “never events” and save the people of North Carolina $13 million.

ELIMINATE SHP BENEFIT FOR LEGISLATORS

Full-time state employees in North Carolina take pride in working hard for what few job benefits they are afforded. Therefore, it is unreasonable that part-time legislators in the N.C. General Assembly should enjoy the same benefits of a full-time worker. In just one example, our part-time legislators have the option of enrolling in the SHP – a benefit that is otherwise only offered to full-time state employees. Currently, 147 out of 170 legislators elect the SHP. By eliminating this benefit for themselves, state leaders can take one step closer to demonstrating that they are in favor of quality benefits for quality work and give $723,000 back to taxpayers.

SELL UNUSED EQUIPMENT AND SELL THE AIRPLANE

The N.C. Department of Transportation has approximately 2,300 pieces of heavy equipment that were purchased at a cost of $153 million. The State Auditor reports that much of this equipment is not used. This unused equipment is a waste of taxpayer money. Selling this equipment, including the Department of Transportation’s airplane, will save $56 million.