To highlight the important points contained in the state’s draft Medicaid reform waiver application presented last week by the NC Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Medicaid and NC Health Choice, North Carolina Medical Society (NCMS) staff has thoroughly reviewed the document and written this summary. The draft application must be approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in order to implement the Medicaid reforms adopted by the NC General Assembly last fall.
The DHHS has stated repeatedly they are seeking meaningful input on the waiver application from the health care community and have scheduled ‘listening sessions’ throughout the state in March and April. See when officials will be in your area here. Watch the NCMS Bulletin for more information on these sessions and how you can most effectively participate. The waiver application is due to CMS by June 1.
The NCMS is committed to continuing our ongoing, constructive dialogue with DHHS on Medicaid reform to help ensure our priorities are met as the reforms are implemented. Physician leadership remains a key NCMS priority. NCMS staff and our Medicaid Reform Task Force are fully engaged in communicating our priorities to DHHS including the ideal leadership role of physicians in the managed care organizations that will be statewide Medicaid providers under the proposed reform plan. We are taking a constructive approach to answering this challenging question, and look forward to a successful implementation process.
The NCMS wants to hear your feedback. Your input is valuable and will assist us in advocating for changes to the draft waiver to improve the final product which will ultimately be submitted to the CMS for approval. Please share your comments at [email protected].
Visit NC DHHS’ Medicaid reform website for more on the state’s plans.
Read the full draft waiver application.
NCMS draft waiver summary.