Healthcare Costs and Mandated Coverage: The Upcoming Conversation

For North Dakota’s business community, the rising cost of healthcare remains one of the most pressing challenges. Employers want to provide strong healthcare benefits to attract and retain employees, but the growing expense of coverage is creating difficult choices. After workforce availability and excessive regulation, healthcare affordability ranks as a top business concern—and it’s an issue that demands thoughtful policy attention.

At this year’s Policy Summit, the Healthcare Mandates Panel will bring together policymakers, industry leaders, and business voices to explore the complex intersection of mandates, affordability, and access.

WHY THIS PANEL MATTERS
Healthcare mandates are often designed to expand coverage and support those in need, but they also introduce new financial and administrative pressures for businesses of all sizes. This panel will dig into the full spectrum of impacts:

• Historical lessons – how past mandates have shaped the healthcare market
  • According to the state’s largest insurer, state level healthcare mandates accounted for over $845M in increased costs to small and large group insurance between 2022-24.
    Since the 1990s, no healthcare mandate has ever been repealed. Yikes.
• Cost implications – what new requirements mean for employers and policyholders
• Workforce dynamics – how healthcare affordability affects talent retention and competitiveness
• Economic impact – the ripple effects across industries and communities

The conversation will highlight not only the intended benefits of healthcare mandates but also the unintended consequences that can strain employers and employees alike. MEET THE PANEL
Moderated by Andrea Pfennig, GNDC Vice President of Government Affairs, the panel will feature perspectives from across the healthcare and policy landscape:
- Megan Hruby, Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota – sharing insights on coverage design, market trends, and insurer perspectives
- Ben Hanson, American Cancer Society – highlighting the importance of access and coverage in meeting healthcare needs
- Rep. Robin Weisz, Speaker of the House – offering a policymaker’s perspective on the balance between mandates and affordability
Business Response:
- Jeff Zarling, DAWA Solutions Group – bringing the employer voice to the conversation, with a firsthand look at how healthcare mandates affect small and mid-sized businesses

WHY BUSINESSES SHOULD PAY ATTENTION
Healthcare isn’t just a policy issue—it’s a talent strategy. For many workers, employer-sponsored coverage is a deciding factor in where they choose to work and stay. But if costs continue to climb, businesses risk being priced out of offering competitive benefits.
That’s why it’s essential for state government and the business community to work together on solutions that make healthcare more affordable while preserving access. This panel is designed to spark that conversation and help chart a path forward.

DETAILS
Date: September 23
Location: Bismarck – also available through virtual participation
Attendees: Members/ND business community, non-members, policy makers, legislators
REGISTRATION LINK