North Carolina prompt pay law: deadlines, interest, and how to use it

Yes. North Carolina's prompt-pay law (N.C.G.S. §58-3-225) requires insurers to pay clean claims within a set window or pay interest, and the statutory interest rate is high.

The key rules

• Clean claims are generally due within 30 days of receipt (electronic) with a defined process for pending or requesting information
• Late payment accrues statutory interest, commonly cited around 18% per annum
• The payer must pay, deny, or properly pend within the window and notify the provider
• Applies to state-regulated commercial insurers

How to use it

• Fix the receipt date and measure the 30-day window
• Because the rate is high, calculate interest on late clean claims and request it in writing
• Cite N.C.G.S. §58-3-225 when raising it with the payer
• Escalate unresolved late payment to the North Carolina Department of Insurance

Confirm the current 18% figure and day-count. Prompt-pay rules reach state-regulated (fully insured) commercial plans, not ERISA self-funded employer plans, which are a large share of commercial volume. Medicare and Medicaid pay under their own separate prompt-payment rules. Confirm the current payment window, interest rate, and penalty against the statute or your state insurance department before citing a figure in an appeal, since rates are reset by legislation and by annual DOI rate-setting.

See the revenue North Carolina payers owe you.

Volari finds the denials and underpayments in your written-off pile. For North Carolina practices, we work on a straightforward fee-based engagement.