Blog Entry List

North Carolina’s state-designated health information exchange, NC HealthConnex, was created in 2015 by the North Carolina General Assembly to help bridge the gap between distinct electronic health record systems and health care networks to support whole patient care. With over seven million unique patient records and growing, NC HealthConnex is working to connect the state’s health care providers to deliver a holistic view of a patient’s record.

A fully detailed outline of the influenza vaccine and reimbursement guidelines for 2019-2020 for North Carolina Medicaid and NC Health Choice was distributed in a Medicaid Special Bulletin on Aug. 27, 2019.

Session Law 2018-5 Sec.11H.4 (see Appendix A) instructed the NC Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to submit to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for the necessary authority to establish Medicaid reimbursement for ambulance transports of Medicaid beneficiaries in behavioral health crisis to behavioral health clinics or other alternative locations effective July 1, 2019.

Several new or amended clinical coverage policies are available on NC Medicaid’s website.

Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT) clinical coverage policies have been revised. The revisions, which will become effective Oct. 1, 2019 are outlined below:

Effective with date of service June 20, 2019, the North Carolina Medicaid and NC Health Choice programs cover dexamethasone ophthalmic insert 0.4 mg, for intracanalicular use (Dextenza) for use in the Physician Administered Drug Program (PADP) when billed with HCPCS code J3490 - Unclassified drugs.

Effective with date of service June 11, 2019, the North Carolina Medicaid and NC Health Choice programs cover polatuzumab vedotin-piiq for injection, for intravenous use (Polivy) for use in the Physician Administered Drug Program (PADP) when billed with HCPCS code J9999 - Not otherwise classified, antineoplastic drugs.

Effective with date of service Aug. 1, 2019, the North Carolina Medicaid and NC Health Choice programs cover infliximab-abda for injection, for intravenous use (Renflexis) for use in the Physician Administered Drug Program (PADP) when billed with HCPCS code Q5104 - Injection, infliximab-abda, biosimilar, (renflexis), 10 mg.

NC Medicaid has received calls concerning claim denials for some services provided by nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs). NC Medicaid has provided instructions to NCTracks on updating the claims processing system.

The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) will extend open enrollment for Medicaid beneficiaries and move to a statewide transition to managed care on Feb. 1, 2020.

Clinical Coverage Policy 1A-12 Breast Surgeries has been updated to reflect changes throughout the policy.

Effective July 1, 2019, providers may request, perform and bill for low-dose lung cancer screening utilizing healthcare common procedure coding system (HCPCS) code G0297. 

Policies (9) Outpatient Pharmacy Program and (8F) Research-based Behavioral Health Treatment (RB-BHT) for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are available on NC Medicaid's website.

The sterilization consent form found on the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) website has been updated.

In accordance with 2 CFR part 200, subpart F, the North Carolina Office of the State Auditor (OSA) annually conducts the State Single Audit and accordingly selects a sample of NC Medicaid claims to determine if claims paid by the state were properly supported. Some claims documentation submitted were determined to be inadequate to support payment for services billed and were deemed an error.