North Carolina Rep. Chesser’s Medicaid care coordination bill passes both chambers of North Carolina General Assembly

Passed bill sponsored by State Rep. Allen Chesser aims to establish coordinated care services within Medicaid for substance use disorders and align inmate Medicaid coverage with federal standards after winning approval in both chambers, according to the North Carolina State House.

In the House, 45 Democrats and 68 Republicans voted in favor of the bill.

Meanwhile, in the Senate, 15 Democrats and 27 Republicans voted in favor of the bill.

Chesser filed the bill in the North Carolina House on March 26 during the 2025 regular session.

The legislation, known as HB 546, was passed on June 19 during the 2025 regular session.

According to the North Carolina General Assembly site, the bill’s official text was formally listed with the short title: “Inmate Medicaid Suspension/Team-Based Care.”

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

In essence, this bill mandates the development of a team-based care coordination service within the Medicaid program, focusing on the treatment of alcohol, opioid, and other mild to moderate substance use disorders. It requires the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), in collaboration with stakeholders, to implement services including screening, prescription medications, recovery support, and case management. DHHS must report details of these services to relevant committees by Oct. 1, 2025. Additionally, the bill modifies Medicaid to suspend rather than terminate coverage for inmates, aligning with federal requirements, and mandates a memorandum of understanding between DHHS and the Department of Adult Correction to facilitate data sharing. The bill becomes effective upon enactment.

The bill was sponsored by Rep. Donna McDowell White (Republican-26th District), Rep. Allen Chesser (Republican-25th District), and Rep. Timothy Reeder, MD (Republican-9th District), along with one other sponsor.

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.

Chesser graduated from North Carolina Wesleyan University in 2019 with a BS.

Chesser, a Republican, was elected to the North Carolina State House in 2023 to represent the state’s 25th House district, replacing previous state representative James Gailliard.

Under North Carolina law, bills must receive three readings in each chamber. According to the UNC School of Government, once a bill “passes its constitutionally required second reading and moves to its constitutionally required third reading,” additional debate can occur, but the final stage is often treated as a formality. Unless a legislator requests a roll-call, the third reading may be approved by voice vote or unanimous consent without a separate recorded tally.