On March 19, 2021 the North Carolina Division of Health Benefits posted a bulletin outlining their Health Equity Payment Initiative. To support the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) goals to achieve health equity, NC Medicaid is introducing an enhanced payment to Carolina Access primary care practices serving beneficiaries from areas of the state with high poverty rates. 

Medicaid Managed Care open enrollment will begin March 15, 2021 continuing through May 14, 2021. 

NCDHHS has started mailing enrollment packets statewide and launched new resources for beneficiaries as it prepares for NC Medicaid Managed Care Open Enrollment. 

The NC Department of Health and Human Services recently released the Advanced Medical Home (AMH) Provider Manual 2.0. This version reflects program expectations as well as recent program modifications and changes that impact provider contracts. It replaces the prior version issued on Dec. 12, 2019.  
 

COVID-19 Community Readiness Toolkit

The Division of Mental Health Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse Services in partnership with the NCDHHS Historically Marginalized Populations Behavioral Health Workgroup, recently created the COVID-19 Community Readiness Toolkit to connect North Carolinians to resources for a variety of mental health needs including resources for parents engaging in online-school, family-based needs, resources for those within the I/DD community and others.

Medicaid recently released the Temporary Clinical Policy Modifications: Payment for Health Opportunities Screening and Referral. 

Please join NC Medicaid Division of Health Benefits Deputy Secretary Dave Richard, NC Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Mandy Cohen M.D., Assistant Secretary for NC Medicaid Jay Ludlam and other senior leaders for a webinar on the state’s transition to Medicaid Managed Care.   

COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Plan Update

North Carolina’s COVID-19 Vaccination Plan builds on the foundation of the state’s overall goals and
pillars of response to the pandemic: Prevention, Testing, Tracing, Isolation and Quarantine. North
Carolina took early and aggressive action to slow the spread of the virus, built statewide capacity for
testing, PPE supplies and contract tracing, developed hospital surge plans, and promoted aggressive prevention strategies. Check out the full NCDHHS Vaccine Plan 

Dr. Betsey Tilson, NCDHHS Chief Medical Officer and State Health Director, and the NCDHHS team will provide an update and host a Q&A session as a follow-up to the Dec. 15th Vaccination Briefing webinar.  You may also view the slides from the webinar.  

 NC Medicaid issued these updates on 12/8/2020 via: https://medicaid.ncdhhs.gov/blog/2020/12/08/medicaid-managed-care-provider-update 

Key Dates for Transitioning to Medicaid Managed Care  

• March 15, 2021– Open Enrollment begins  
• May 14, 2021– Open Enrollment ends  
• May 15, 2021– Auto Enrollment for beneficiaries who have not selected a health plan  
• May 22, 2021(approximate) – Transition of Care information is sent to each health plan for beneficiaries assigned to that health plan  
• July 1, 2021– Medicaid Managed Care launch