Bill Graham wants to let the free market work on health care.

But whether the Republican gubernatorial candidate's proposal for a health-insurance exchange works will depend on how the state manages the system, says a Duke University professor.

Chris Conover, director of Duke University's health policy certificate program, said Graham's proposal borrows a central plank from Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney's state plan and a federal proposal put forward by U.S. Sen. Richard Burr.

The proposal calls for an exchange in which private companies would offer insurance plans to businesses, the self-employed and interest groups.

After the jump, three questions from Conover about the plan.

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Bill Graham has called for "community risk pool" for health insurance.

The Republican gubernatorial candidate released a reform plan today that calls for creating the N.C. Health Connector, an exchange that would allow businesses, the self-employed and other groups to join a community risk pool.

Under the plan, small business coalitions, unions, trade associations, alumni associations and religious groups would be allowed to sign up for the exchange.

Members of those groups would then be eligible for individual health insurance plans offered by private companies through the exchange.

Anyone in the exchange who developed a catastrophic illness, such as cancer, would be covered by a high-risk pool within the exchange, partly funded by government and private insurers.

The plan would essentially sever the link between employment and insurance, since unemployed people who belong to the interest groups could remain insured.