North Carolina Initiates Medicaid Reforms
According to a recent press release, North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory signed an application that will transform Medicaid to provide improved outcomes for patients, communities and providers at a more predictable cost for taxpayers.
“One of the most important responsibilities that I have as governor is to help citizens in our state reach their full potential. To help achieve this goal, reforming Medicaid has been a top priority since the day I entered office,” said Governor McCrory. “Our proposal provides a North Carolina Medicaid Plan that focuses on patient-centered care and improves health outcomes at more predictable costs.”
As indicated in the press release, “the proposed application will transform health care in North Carolina in six key ways to:
- Pay for improved patient outcomes – instead of paying for how many services patients receive;
- Integrate physical and behavioral health – instead of focusing only on physical health;
- Increase flexibility to invest in external factors to improve health – instead of rigidity around payments;
- Extend care to families to increase the likelihood of children being reunited with their parents – instead of discontinuing care in families with substance use disorders after their children are placed in foster care;
- Encourage providers to achieve the long-term goal of improving health outcomes – instead of limited financial incentives for providers to transform care;
- Health plans and providers sharing responsibility with the state for achieving healthy outcomes within budget – instead of only the state facing financial risk.”