We’re excited to invite you to the last Community Health Worker (CHW) Integration Workgroup meeting of the year on:

📅 Date: Tuesday, December 9, 2025
🕑 Time: 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.
📍 Location: Virtual (Zoom)

This session will feature El Futuro, sharing their experience implementing the Collaborative Care Model (CoCM) program with CHWs. It’s a great opportunity to learn from their journey and explore strategies for integrating CHWs into care teams.

Join Zoom Meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89721245320?pwd=vZahdMsTNgYvfumrx08NsjzpnFPyKn.1
Meeting ID: 897 2124 5320
Passcode: 758973

Questions Contact Jessica Rodriguez at jessica.rodriguez@mahec.net.

Looking Ahead to 2026

This workgroup series will continue next year, highlighting CHW integration efforts across the state. Stay tuned for more opportunities to connect, share, and learn!

Are you a new or aspiring practice manager, or a provider interested in learning more about practice management? The NC AHEC Practice Management Academy is your gateway to professional growth, networking, and leadership development.

Practice Manager Boot Camp: Leadership Module

Spaces are still available for the Leadership module, starting January 2026!

• Dates: Thursday, January 8, 2026 – Monday, March 9, 2026
• Time: 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM
• Format: Virtual Classes (9 Contact Hours)
• Registration: https://www.southernregionalahec.org/courses-and-events/75763
• Registration closes: January 7, 2026
• Fee: Register by 12/8: $180 | After 12/8: $225

Who Should Attend?

• New and aspiring practice managers
• Providers interested in practice management
• Anyone seeking to enhance leadership and management skills

What You’ll Learn

Week-by-week topics include:

• Braveheart Leadership: Characteristics of inspirational leaders, personal strengths and growth opportunities
• Becoming an Authentic Leader: Impact of gender and implicit bias, authentic leadership styles
• Understanding & Building Your Team: Emotional intelligence (EQ) vs. intelligence quotient (IQ), team dynamics
• Vampires in the Workplace: Identifying and managing toxic staff
• Effective Communication: Professionalism, conflict cycles, and resolution
• Managing Conflict: Power dynamics, critical conversations, crisis communication
• Retaining Effective Employees: Creating a constructive work environment
• Mentoring Physician Leadership: Strategies for orienting provider-leaders, collaboration
• How to Run a Meeting: Structured agendas, facilitation, best practices, and formal meeting structures

Speakers

• GeGe Beall (MS, FACHE, SPHR, SHRM-SCP): Expert in industrial/organizational psychology and HR/organizational development
• Matt Johnson (BA, MA, MBA): Experienced practice administrator, NC Medical Group Management Association board member
• Jane Moran (BA, MLS): Project Specialist, NCAHEC Practice Management Academy, customer service and education expert
• Melissa Overton (BSN, RN, CEO): Award-winning educator, mentor, and CEO of MedicalTraining.me

Why Join the Practice Management Academy Community?

• Free Membership: Access free courses, news, and networking opportunities
• Professional Development: Learn and register for upcoming courses
• Networking: Connect with other practice managers and providers

As North Carolina moves into data-driven, value-based health care, the N.C. Health Information Exchange Authority is working to modernize the state-designated health information exchange, NC HealthConnex. This valuable tool can help your practice close important care gaps through information  exchange between health care provider and patient. The N.C. Health Information Exchange Authority is offering valuable training on the features of NC HealthConnex.

• Module 1: NC HealthConnex Overview — Watch this module.
  
  To access the rest of the training modules, please fill out the training request form.
• Module 2: Unpacking the NC HealthConnex Welcome Packet (12 minutes)
• Module 3: Participant Account Administrator Roles & Responsibilities (10 minutes)
• Module 4: Clinical Portal Overview (20 minutes)
• Module 5: Direct Secure Messaging
• Module 6: Patient Education (26 minutes)
• Module 7: NC*Notify (13 minutes)
  

   

From the CMS QPP Updates Newsletter:

From MLN Connects Newsletter, Special Edition: October 1, 2025:

What’s Changing with Medicare Telehealth?

1. Fewer Services Will Be Covered
   Many telehealth services that were allowed during the COVID-19 emergency will no longer be covered unless Congress acts. This mostly affects non-mental health services.

2. As prior to COVID -19 Flexibilities, Where the Patient Is Matters
   Patients must be in rural areas or certain medical facilities to get Medicare-covered telehealth (except for mental health care).
   Services from home will not be covered for most types of care.

3. Mental Health Services Are Still Covered
   Telehealth for mental and behavioral health can still be done from home.
   However, patients must have an in-person visit at least once every year to keep using telehealth for these services. 

4. Advance Notice May Be Needed
   If a provider offers a telehealth service that Medicare won’t pay for, they may need to give the patient an Advance Beneficiary Notice to explain the cost.

5. Some Providers Can Still Use Telehealth Freely
   Providers in Medicare Shared Savings Program ACOs can continue offering telehealth without location limits, even after October 1.

    

   Source: https://www.cms.gov/medicare/payment/fee-for-service-providers 

This edition of the newsletter was sent to subscribers on October 1.  You are encouraged to subscribe to updates from CMS. Archived editions of the newsletter are available here.

North Carolina Medicaid provider reimbursement rate reductions go into effect October 1, 2025.

The reduction percentages vary from 3%,  8% or 10% and apply to procedure codes.

NC Medicaid plans to publish detailed updated fee schedules to the NC Medicaid Covered Codes and Fee Schedules Portal. You are advised to check back frequently for these updated documents. 

North Carolina Division of Health Benefits officially notified Vaya Health of upcoming changes to the NC Medicaid fee schedule rates effective October 1, 2025. The new detailed fee schedule changes have not yet been provided.

Vaya Health notified network providers in their recent bulletin that it will update their systems to implement the fee schedule changes no earlier than November 1, 2025.  If there is no legislative agreement by October 31, Vaya will implement the rate cuts on November 1, retroactive to the effective date of October 1.  On that date they plan to update their systems to pay at the newly published rates, and will take steps to recoup the difference in reimbursement for services provided back to October 1.

Vaya indicated they will issue more detailed communications soon, and provided links to email them with questions as well as a link to join the Vaya Provider Touchpoint webinar on October 3rd.

Source: https://providers.vayahealth.com/bulletins/

NC Medicaid, in collaboration with the five NC Medicaid Managed Care Standard Plans, hosts the...

Fifth Annual Virtual Statewide Quality Forum

Wednesday, October 8 from noon-1:30 p.m.

Topics will include:

• Administrative Simplification Workgroup Updates
• Early Intervention and EPSDT: Proven Strategies for Success – Feedback from Providers 
  and Standard Plans
• Key Updates from NC Medicaid

The forum is designed for providers, practice managers, and quality managers to engage in 
focused discussion about how to successfully apply Medicaid Managed Care quality initiatives to 
generate positive outcomes.

Please register to participate in this valuable and informative forum that will offer practical 
applications to enhance and improve your services to NC Medicaid members.

Register now to attend the (free) Second Annual Piedmont Area Falls-Free Expo!

Open to health care professionals and the adults they serve, this year's expo is filled with events--- from stability and balance exercise classes to chair yoga, to educational presentations including the importance of hearing in fall risk and other concepts related to fall prevention in older adults.

Did we forget to mention there is also free food and raffles to win prizes?

WHEN: Wednesday, September 24, 2025

WHERE: Intergenerational Center for Arts and Wellness

114 West 30th Street, Winston-Salem, NC  27105

TIME: 9:30 AM - 2:30 PM

Registration is available online or by phone at (336) 904-0328.

Use these links to  learn more and view the schedule of events.

Need free Contact Hours on this topic? Could your staff benefit from a refresher on falls in older adults?

Northwest AHEC has two self-paced, interactive, online courses on the topic! Check them out!

Falls: Screening, Risk Assessment and Care Planning for Older Adults in the Community

Double Trouble: Diabetes and Falls