Sen. Burgin files bill in North Carolina Senate to increase healthcare price transparency

A new bill filed by State Sen. Burgin seeks to increase price transparency and reduce costs in North Carolina’s healthcare system, according to the North Carolina State Senate.

The bill, filed as SB 316 on March 17 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘Lower Healthcare Costs.’

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill aims to reduce healthcare costs and increase price transparency by mandating hospitals and ambulatory surgical facilities in North Carolina to report detailed pricing information. The reporting includes the most common inpatient and outpatient procedures, providing estimated charges for services, insurance reimbursement rates, and a comparison of costs between providers. It imposes penalties for non-compliance and establishes transparency in billing practices, requiring healthcare providers to disclose whether they are within an insurer’s network. The bill limits facility fees, mandates good-faith estimates for planned services, and allows the State Auditor to review prices charged by health facilities. Effective dates for various sections range from Jan. 1, 2026, to Oct. 1, 2026.

Of the three sponsors of this bill, Burgin and Amy S. Galey proposed the most bills (20) during the 2025 regular session.

Bills in North Carolina follow a multi-step process before becoming law. A lawmaker starts by filing a bill, which is assigned to a committee for review. The bill must be read three times in each chamber. If one chamber changes the bill after the other passes it, both must agree on the final version. Once both chambers approve the same bill, it goes to the governor, who has 10 days (or 30 if the legislature is not in session) to sign, veto, or let it become law without a signature.

You can read more about the bills and other measures here.

Burgin graduated from The University of Tennessee Knoxville with a BS.

Burgin, a Republican, was elected to the North Carolina State Senate in 2019 to represent the state’s 12th Senate district, replacing previous state senator Ronald Rabin.