It’s the final week of 2019 and time for your

NCMS Morning Rounds!

Dec. 30, 2019

Hot Off the Press: Your 2019 NCMS Legislative Summary

With the New Year just about here, it’s time to reflect back on 2019. And just in time to contemplate the 2019 NC legislative session, the NCMS has published its 2019 Legislative Summary. This comprehensive guide to what happened at the General Assembly over the past long-session is organized by each of the NCMS’ legislative priorities for the year.

Study up on what happened last year as we get ready for legislators to reconvene in Raleigh on Jan. 14.

Review your NCMS 2019 Legislative Summary.

NC Receives CMS Funding to Help Integrate Care for Kids

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently awarded funding to seven states including North Carolina to implement the Integrated Care for Kids (InCK) Model. The goal of the program is to reduce expenditures and improve the quality of care for children under 21 years old who are covered by Medicaid and are impacted by the opioid abuse epidemic.

In making the announcement of the awards Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar emphasized that the models aims to promote “more coordination and integration of care to improve health for children with complex needs and drive better outcomes.”

The InCK Model is intended to provide the states flexibility to “design interventions for their local communities that align health care delivery with child welfare support, educational systems, housing and nutrition services, mobile crisis response services, maternal and child health systems and other relevant service systems.” In addition to North Carolina the following states were awarded funding: Connecticut, Illinois (2 awards), New Jersey, New York, Ohio and Oregon.

Learn more about the InCK Model. Read the press release on the announcement.

Understanding the Power Behind NCMS’ Project OBOT

The ability to integrate multiple data systems in a cost-effective and timely manner is what makes Project OBOT, the NCMS’ initiative to stem the opioid abuse crisis in North Carolina, so powerful. Our partner in this effort, NetDirector, recently made a brief, under 2-minute promotional video, explaining the process. Watch the video.

Learn more about Project OBOT.

In the News

What Health Care Will Look Like in 2020: 6 Predictions, Becker’s Hospital Review, 12-4-19

Learning Opportunity

The 2020 Winter CME Conference, hosted by the Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine, the NC Osteopathic Medical Association and the North Carolina Society for the American College of Osteopathic Physicians, will be held Feb. 15 at Campbell University. The focus will be on the diagnosis and treatment of lung disease. Learn more and register.