The North Carolina Medical Society (NCMS) has been leading the charge toward meaningful Medicaid reform most recently by bringing together the groups most affected by changes to the state’s Medicaid program. The goal of this large group of concerned organizations is to present a detailed plan to legislators in the next few weeks. Ideally, the plan would serve the most vulnerable citizens of North Carolina, while providing a sustainable financial package to meet the budgetary issues legislators face.
On April 9, the NCMS hosted an historic meeting at its Center for Leadership in Medicine in Raleigh. More than 75 individuals from organizations that sometimes find themselves on opposing sides on policy issues attended the meeting. Groups representing doctors, hospitals, nurses, long-term care, skilled nursing, adult care, hospice, PhRMA, pharmacy, mental health, behavioral health, social workers and Medicare ACOs attended the meeting.
Absent a cohesive vision for how Medicaid should operate in the state, it is likely state legislators will turn the program in its entirety over to a managed care organization, as the recently filed Senate Bill 703 proposes. The provider groups have a small window to present an alternative plan for reform to legislators.
Medicaid reform is a key legislative priority for the NCMS this session. We have steadfastly supported a provider-led, value-based approach, and are opposed to turning the program over to a managed care organization.