North Carolina The following bills have been ratified by the North Carolina General Assembly. Please click on the link to read the finalized bill. House Bill 809 Model Healthcare-Associated Infections Law (ratified 6/17/11) Requires the Department of Health and Human Services to establish a healthcare-associated infection surveillance, prevention, and control program; to establish a regulatory fee for the program; and to authorize the department to assess an administrative penalty against health care facilities that fail to comply with program requirements. House Bill 809 is located by clicking here. (Added 06/20/2011) Senate Bill 33 Medical Liability Reforms (ratified 6/13/11) To reform the laws relating to medical liability by providing limited protection from liability to those providing emergency medical care; by authorizing the bifurcation of trials on issues of liability and damages in certain actions; by limiting the amount of noneconomic damages that may be awarded; by authorizing the periodic payment of future economic damages in lieu of a lump sum payment; and by modifying appeal bonds in medical malpractice actions. Senate Bill 33 is located by clicking here. (Added 06/20/2011) Senate Bill 496 Medicaid and Health Choice Provider Requirements (ratified 6/17/11) Provides fraud and abuse provisions as required by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Senate Bill 496 is located by clicking here. (Added 06/20/2011) Senate Bill 607 Confirm Medical Record Confidentiality Laws (ratified 6/17/11) This legislation will amend multiple North Carolina statutes pertaining to the use and disclosure of individually identifiable health information in a manner consistent with HIPAA. Senate Bill 607 is located by clicking here. (Added 06/20/2011) Senate Bill 609 Facilitate Locum Tenens Physicians (ratified 6/18/11) Amends the insurance laws to facilitate the use of locum tenens physicians to ensure North Carolina's medical professionals are capable of serving the state's expanding population. Senate Bill 609 is located by clicking here. (Added 06/20/2011) MedCost provides summary information on legislative topics as a service only. While every effort is made to ensure the correctness of these statements, it is the responsibility of each client, employer, member, and/or provider to research each topic thoroughly and take the necessary steps to assure compliance and to determine benefit coverage.