Today we bring you News and Updates from NCTracks:

Federal Provider Enrollment Application Fee Increase for Year 2025

A Message from NCTracks on Behalf of NC Medicaid

The federal fee for Medicaid enrollment has increased to $730 for calendar year 2025.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Federal Register 89 FR 95215 (see Medicare, Medicaid, and Children's Health Insurance Programs; Provider Enrollment Application Fee Amount for Calendar Year 2025) finalized provisions related to the imposition of application fees as part of the Medicaid provider enrollment process for institutional providers and suppliers. The fee will vary from year to year pursuant to the consumer price index for all urban consumers (CPI-U). 

The federal fee for Medicaid enrollment will increase from $709 to $730 for calendar year 2025, and effective Jan 1, 2025, will be required as noted on the Provider Permission Matrix for:

• Initial enrollment;
• Re-enrollment;
• Adding a new owner or a new site location; and
• Re-verification.

Quality Payment Program Small Practices Newsletter: December 2024

The Quality Payment Program (QPP) Small Practices Newsletter is a monthly resource that provides small practices (15 or fewer clinicians) with program updates, upcoming QPP milestones, and resources to support their continued participation and success in QPP. We send this newsletter on the second Tuesday of each month.

LUNCH n' LEARN

NC HealthConnex: New Look for Easier Navigation

South Piedmont AHEC's Maria Goergen will host an informative Lunch n' Learn session on December 17th from noon - 1 p.m.  See the latest updates and improvements to NC HealthConnex (NCHIE) that will make navigation simpler and more efficient for your practice.

We hope you take advantage of this learning opportunity. 

Click below to register (there is no fee for this event).

We look forward to connecting with you!

Register for Lunch n' Learn

Oral health is a key factor in overall health, but access to dental care in North Carolina is an ongoing problem.

Just as orthopedic nurses are skilled at caring for patients with musculoskeletal conditions, and cardiac nurses specialize in patient care of cardiovascular disease, rural nurses are skilled at knowing a little bit about everything! They balance the needs of their patients with the often-limited resources and other challenges in small and sometimes isolated areas.

MEDICAID MANAGED CARE

Virtual Office Hours

NC Medicaid Initiatives & Updates

Thursday, December 5 | noon-1 p.m.

Once again, a new SARS-CoV-2 variant is likely to be the gift many did not want to receive from attending holiday gathering!

You may recall in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was frequent breaking news about each latest variant of the virus (remember Delta and Omicron?). Now that the worldwide public health emergencies have expired, detecting, monitoring, and responding to new variants has become more challenging. 

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.

In this months article, the authors introduce a model that would links cultural trauma to health disparities by three cultural resources: cultural modes, institutions, and lands. The article encourages the need to change policy to prevent dominant groups from dominating the resources of minority groups.

November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month. A perfect time to revisit this topic!

Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable disease, disability, and death in the U.S., and smoking causes almost a half a million deaths per year.

Rural NC Road in Autumn. Photo used with permission

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Smoking—50 Years of Progress: A Report of the Surgeon General. 

Effective January 1, 2025, Aetna will replace Blue Cross Blue Shield NC for the NC State Health Plan coverage.

Which plans are included?

• Enhanced PPO Plan (80/20)
• Basic PPO Plan (70/30)
• High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP)

This change does NOT impact members enrolled in the Humana Medicare Advantage plans.

The current pharmacy benefit manager (CVS Caremark®) will not change.