Announcing some new features to the blog, accessible by using the buttons under 'Additional Resources'!

In collaboration with primary care providers (PCPs), the NC Medicaid Managed Care Prepaid Health Plans (PHPs) have created a new standardized PCP Change Request Form for members who wish to change their primary care assignment throughout the year.

Northwest AHEC Practice Support would like to celebrate great work going on in its seventeen-county region. Grace Clinic of Yadkin Valley in Elkin, NC was one of six Free and Charitable Clinics nationally that received funding from grantee: Becton, Dickenson and Company (NYSE:BDX) to provide multi-year diagnostic testing.  This initiative which began in 2017 is called Point of Care, Enhancing Clinical Effectiveness (PoCECE) program.  The PoCECE program provides a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendment (CLIA) waived point-of-care test system consisting of instruments, reagents and quality control to perform the following tests: Cholesterol, LDL, HDL, Triglycerides, Macroscopic Urinalysis, Microalbumin, INR, Hemoglobin A1c, Strep A, HIV, Rapid Hepatitis C, Pregnancy, Flu A & B, and RSV.  The grants also include technical support consisting of standard operating procedures, equipment setup and configuration, competency training and documentation.¹

Effective Oct. 22, 2021, NC Medicaid-enrolled providers can bill code 99401 with HM modifier for telephone outreach to unvaccinated Medicaid beneficiaries. The goal of the outreach is to educate the beneficiaries on the vaccine and assist them in scheduling an appointment, ideally in the office where the outreach is originated.

With the anticipated approval for COVID-19 vaccines to be expanded to include younger children, now is a good time to review evidence-based tools and resources provided by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. You are a trusted source of information on this important topic, and it can be difficult sometimes to manage the mis-information that has many parents so concerned.  

Help us respond to your health workforce needs!
The NC Center for Health Workforce is working with NC AHEC, the UNC Sheps Center and other stakeholders to take action to address North Carolina’s health workforce needs. An initial step in this process is to gather your concerns about recruitment, retention and skill needs of your workforce. We’ll use this information to work with policymakers and educators to develop responses and solutions.

For those serving NC Medicaid Direct beneficiaries, be on the lookout for a new primary care case management (PCCM) agreement from NC Carolina Community Care Networks within the next 1-2 weeks. 

2021 is the last year for eligible professionals to participate in the NC Medicaid EHR Incentive program, and October 31 is the deadline to submit your attestations! The North

NCCARE360 helps providers electronically connect those with identified needs to community resources and allow for feedback and follow up. This solution ensures accountability for services delivered, provides a “no wrong door” approach, closes the loop on every referral made, and reports outcomes of that connection. NCCARE360 is available in all 100 counties across North Carolina.