A new bill filed by State Rep. Cecil Brockman seeks to create a universal healthcare benefit plan in North Carolina to provide affordable coverage based on income, according to the North Carolina State House.
The bill, filed as HB 714 on April 2 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘Universal Healthcare.’
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 establish a universal healthcare benefit plan in North Carolina, managed by the state’s Commissioner of Insurance. The plan will utilize a sliding scale for premiums, making healthcare coverage affordable based on household income, and will serve residents whose income exceeds Medicaid eligibility. The Commissioner is tasked with creating advisory boards and setting premiums, ensuring coverage meets federal standards. An initial appropriation of $100,000 from the General Fund, effective July 1, 2025, is designated to support plan development. The Commissioner must report progress to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Health and Human Services by January 1, 2026.
Of the two sponsors of this bill, Carla D. Cunningham proposed the most bills (31) 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.
Brockman graduated from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in 2006 with a BA.
Brockman, a Democrat, was elected to the North Carolina State House in 2015 to represent the state’s 60th House district, replacing previous state representative Marcus Brandon.
| Authors | Bill Number | Date Filed | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cecil Brockman and Carla D. Cunningham | HB 714 | 04/02/2025 | Universal Healthcare. |
| Cecil Brockman, Amber M. Baker, Frances Jackson, PhD, and Terry M. Brown Jr. | HB 709 | 04/02/2025 | K-3 Literacy and Improvement Act. |
| Cecil Brockman | HB 712 | 04/02/2025 | Universal Income/Pay-It-Forward Fund. |
| Cecil Brockman, Allen Buansi, Amos L. Quick, III, and Ya Liu | HB 713 | 04/02/2025 | Universal Free Breakfast and Lunch. |
| Cecil Brockman, Brandon Lofton, Carla D. Cunningham, and Cynthia Ball | HB 715 | 04/02/2025 | Universal Pre-K. |
| Cecil Brockman, Allen Buansi, Charles Smith, and Vernetta Alston | HB 722 | 04/02/2025 | Enact Criminal Justice Debt Reform. |
| Cecil Brockman and Amos L. Quick, III | HB 317 | 03/05/2025 | Restore Down-Zoning Auth./City of High Point. |
