Federal momentum builds for sepsis solutions: What the SEPSIS Act means for North Carolina

In the time it takes you to read this article, someone in the United States will die from sepsis. On June 5, Senators Chuck Schumer, Susan Collins and Andy Kim reintroduced the bipartisan SEPSIS Act, federal legislation that recognizes sepsis as a solvable policy problem requiring coordinated action.

This federal momentum aligns with research the Novant Health Center for Public Policy Solutions has conducted on sepsis care barriers. The Center's white paper highlighted how policy obstacles delay life-saving treatment and offered a measured approach to reform that states like North Carolina could embrace.

The crisis we've been addressing

With 1.7 million Americans diagnosed with sepsis annually and 350,000 lives lost, this condition represents one of our most urgent healthcare challenges. According to the CDC, 80% of sepsis cases begin outside of the hospital, yet current insurance coverage policies often require documentation of organ failure before covering treatment —forcing clinicians to choose between immediate intervention and ensuring patients don’t receive an enormous bill they cannot pay.

The Center's sepsis research identified exactly these kinds of policy barriers that delay care when every minute counts. As our white paper documented, most sepsis fatalities are preventable with early recognition, diagnosis and treatment—making this fundamentally a policy issue, not just a clinical one.

Federal action reflects sound policy approach

The SEPSIS Act takes a comprehensive approach that reflects sound policy principles: federal coordination and support, better data collection, and recognition that improving sepsis care requires partnership between agencies and frontline healthcare teams. The legislation would task the CDC with continuing its efforts addressing sepsis care, including an education campaign, improving pediatric data collection and developing standardized outcome measures.

Critically, the bill includes a voluntary recognition program for hospitals that maintain effective sepsis programs — the kind of collaborative, non-punitive approach that policy experts have advocated for addressing complex healthcare challenges.

The legislation builds on proven success, specifically referencing "Rory's Regulations" from New York State, which "have been proven to save lives through rapid identification and treatment of sepsis." This evidence-based approach reflects the Center's methodology of identifying what works and creating pathways for broader implementation.

Reducing administrative burden

Major healthcare organizations have endorsed the SEPSIS Act, with the American Hospital Association noting support for the legislation's efforts to "reduce unnecessary administrative burden and improve sepsis care." This emphasis on streamlining administrative processes aligns perfectly with the Center's focus on removing barriers between patients and providers.

Lisa Kidder Hrobsky, AHA senior vice president of advocacy and political affairs, noted, the legislation could "help better assess progress, reduce unnecessary administrative burden and improve sepsis care." Too often, sepsis care is delayed not by clinical uncertainty, but by administrative processes that prioritize documentation over rapid intervention.

North Carolina's opportunity

The Center's sepsis white paper positioned North Carolina to take advantage of this federal momentum by offering practical state-level solutions that complement federal action. While the SEPSIS Act moves through Congress, North Carolina can implement the Center's recommendations immediately:

Standardize sepsis coverage: Establish a clear and consistent definition of sepsis which prioritizes early detection and intervention, allowing patients to receive the standard of care supported by frontline clinicians and proven over decades to result in better outcomes.

Support data collection: Enhance state-level sepsis outcome tracking to contribute to national efforts, positioning North Carolina as a leader in sepsis policy research.

Address rural access: Develop telehealth policies that ensure rapid access to sepsis expertise when local resources are limited — a particular concern the Center has highlighted for North Carolina.

From research to reality

The SEPSIS Act's bipartisan support — co-sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Senator Susan Collins, and Senator Andy Kim — demonstrates that the Center's approach to sepsis policy reform resonates beyond politics. When healthcare organizations, federal lawmakers and clinical experts align around solutions, meaningful reform becomes not just possible, but probable.

For North Carolina families facing sepsis, this federal action represents hope that the policy barriers the Center identified are finally being addressed. With most sepsis fatalities being preventable through early recognition and treatment, the question isn't whether we can improve outcomes — it's whether we have the policy to implement solutions.

The Center's sepsis research helped elevate this critical issue and offered North Carolina a roadmap for action. Now, with federal momentum building, the state has the opportunity to be part of a national solution that saves lives by removing the policy barriers that delay care when every minute matters.

The Novant Health Center for Public Policy Solutions turns frontline clinical challenges into actionable policy recommendations. For more information about our sepsis research and policy solutions, contact PublicPolicySolutions@NovantHealth.org.