Webinar Series

CHW Integration: Strategies for Impact and Sustainability

You're invited to a two-part webinar series, CHW Integration: Strategies for Impact and Sustainability, focused on advancing and sustaining Community Health Worker (CHW) integration across North Carolina’s healthcare system. 

Hosted by NC AHEC, the North Carolina Community Health Worker Association (NCCHWA), and Freedmen’s Consulting, this series will explore strategies to strengthen CHW programs, align them with value-based care models, and support long-term sustainability through practical financing approaches.

These sessions are designed for CHWs, community-based organizations, healthcare practices, care management agencies, health system population health teams, and health plans. 

This event is sponsored by NC Division of Health Benefits (Medicaid) at no cost to participants. 

Part 1: May 19, 2025 | noon - 1 p.m. | REGISTER

Explore how CHWs are driving improvements in population health, enhancing care experiences, and helping to reduce costs. As healthcare moves from fee-for-service to value-based care, CHWs are becoming essential partners in delivering whole-person, community-centered care.

Tim P. McNeill, RN, MPH, will lead this session, highlighting the evolving role of CHWs and sharing promising models of integration from Alabama, New York, and Texas.

Part 2: June 4, 2025 | noon - 1 p.m. | REGISTER

Learn how financing strategies can support and sustain CHW integration across healthcare settings. As value-based care continues to expand, understanding how to fund and grow CHW programs is critical.

Tim P. McNeill, RN, MPH, will review current payment models and discuss their effectiveness in supporting CHW roles. This session includes a care transitions case study and tools to help develop a sustainable CHW integration strategy.

We hope you'll join us for one or both sessions! For questions about NC AHEC CHW Program, please visit our webpage .

From the North Carolina Office of Rural Health:

The Office of Rural Health (ORH) offers qualifying physicians, with educational (student) loan debt, incentive payments to repay their loans tax-free through the Primary Care Physicians Initiative (NC PCPI). With the passage of Session Law 2023-134, incentive payments are awarded to eligible physicians in exchange for providing comprehensive primary care services in outpatient settings at eligible sites serving those with highest need located within Tier 1 and Tier 2 of the North Carolina's County Distress Rankings (Tiers).

Funding is limited and the awards will be based on a first-come, first-served basis for eligible and complete applications. ORH anticipates up to 16 awards in each of the six Medicaid Regions. The application portal will not accept more than 20 applications per Medicaid Region. 

Applicants are strongly encouraged to review the guidelines carefully and gather necessary documentation so that they are prepared to complete the online application in its entirety via the application portal.

MEDICAID MANAGED CARE BACK PORCH CHAT

Key NC Medicaid Updates

Thursday, May 15 | noon-1 p.m.

Please join this month's Back Porch Chat on Thursday, May 15 from 12-1 p.m. This webinar will be hosted by Dr. Janelle White, Chief Medical Officer of NC Medicaid, and will cover important federal updates and NC Medicaid budget priorities.

Additional topics include:

• Clinical Coverage Request Process and Policy Revision Request Process
• 2024 Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) Survey Results
• Credentialing Committee Updates
• Justice-Involved Reentry Work

Register by clicking the blue button below. We look forward to connecting with you!

As the seasons change, so do opportunities to expand your knowledge and professional skills! Northwest Area Health Education Center (Northwest AHEC) and the Office of Continuing Medical Education at Wake Forest University School of Medicine are offering a variety of engaging and informative programs this spring, summer, and fall.

Today we share with you a recent communication from North Carolina Medicaid. Your feedback can help shape the 2026 Standardized AMH Performance Incentive Program.

MEMORANDUM

The Advanced Medical Home (AMH) is NC Medicaid’s cornerstone primary care program, serving more than 2 million Medicaid members across the state. Innovative primary care payment is critical to supporting practice improvements that lead to the outcomes that matter to Medicaid enrollees and their families. 

Prepaid health plans (PHPs) are currently required to offer performance incentive payment arrangements to AMH practices based on a defined set of AMH quality measures; however, provider feedback and formal PHP reporting indicate that approach to these arrangements varies widely among PHPs. This variability makes it difficult for AMH practices to consistently participate in incentive arrangements across plans and to focus and align their quality improvement efforts for Medicaid members.   

To address these challenges, NC Medicaid plans to implement the AMH Standardized Performance Incentive program in 2026. Additional details can be found in the draft AMH Standardized Performance Incentive Program Policy Guide, which is being shared for community partner input. 

Standard Plans and Tailored Plans would be required to offer this program to all AMHs. Participation in the program is optional for AMH practices, and PHPs and AMHs may agree to other Value-Based Payment models in addition to or in lieu of this program, if desired. 

The AMH Standardized Performance Incentive program was developed as a feature of North Carolina’s participation in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Making Care Primary (MCP) model. CMS recently announced the MCP model will be ending early by Dec. 31, 2025, nine years earlier than planned. While the Medicare MCP model will not be continuing, the Department’s proposed AMH Standardized Performance Incentive program remains an important step to advance NC Medicaid’s goals of reducing provider burden and improving health outcomes.

NC Medicaid is seeking additional feedback from community partners on the design of the AMH Standardized Performance Incentive Program and will continue to meet and collaborate with community partners and CMS in the consideration and design of this proposal. 

Community partners are encouraged to provide feedback on the draft AMH Standardized Performance Incentive Program Policy Guide by emailing Medicaid.NCEngagement@dhhs.nc.gov (subject line “AMH Standardized Performance Incentive Program Feedback”) by April 21, 2025.

ADL News for Blog Post

Each April, we come together to celebrate National Public Health Week (NPHW) — a time to recognize the powerful role public health plays in our lives and to honor those working tirelessly to improve the health and well-being of our communities.

On March 20, CMS released an update of the Medicare Benefit Policy Manual that revises and clarifies payment policy information for Rural Health Clinics and Federally Qualified Health Centers.

Some Key Updates Include:

• Starting January 1, 2025, RHCs and FQHCs must include costs for hepatitis B vaccines on their annual cost reports.
• CMS no longer requires RHC productivity standards starting with cost reporting periods ending after December 31, 2024.
• RHCs and FQHCs can continue to bill for non-behavioral health telehealth services by reporting HCPCS code G2025, including services you provide using audio-only technology, through December 31, 2025.
• CMS includes Principal Illness Navigation Peer-Support and Advanced Primary Care Management in RHC's and FQHC's care coordination services.

There are several additional important updates that RHCs and FQHCs should be aware of.

Make sure your billing staff knows about the 2025 updates to the Medicare Benefit Policy Manual, Chapter 13. 

Source:

Medicare Learning Network, MLN Matters 13946

The Northwest AHEC Practice Support Team supports social, physical, and economic environments which promote attaining the full potential of health and well-being for all. This blog segment highlights impactful publications which promote improved health outcomes through Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) each month.

Our featured report this month discusses reducing disparities in health care.

Reducing disparities in health care. American Medical Association. https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/patient-support-advocacy/reducing-disparities-health-care. October 23, 2023. Accessed November 12, 2024

In this article, the AMA aims to enhance health outcomes and reduce inequities across all patient populations. They also agreed to raise awareness of health imbalances and the importance of understanding culturally competent health care and health literacy by working with state medical societies, medical schools, medical students and policymakers.