NC Medicaid data are showing a marked decrease in well-child visits and recommended vaccinations for almost every practice in the state. In addition, the rates for underrepresented minorities are lower across the board.
While this is largely in response to COVID-19 and the scheduling difficulties both practices and families have had throughout the pandemic, NC Medicaid is hopeful that as the 2020-2021 school year begins there will be an increase in these measures.
To help increase well-child visits and immunization rates for Medicaid beneficiaries younger than 19 years old, NC DHHS and NC Medicaid is partnering with Community Care of North Carolina (CCNC), NC AHEC, the Division of Public Health (DPH) and Local Health Departments (LHDs) on the new Keeping Kids Well program.
Through the Keeping Kids Well program, CCNC and NC AHEC will work with practices experiencing a greater number of care gaps to improve these measures. Identification of these “priority” practices and strategies for this initiative will be data driven. LHD care managers will provide outreach and education to families involved in care management programs to encourage well-visits and provide needed linkage to supports.
On Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020 at 5:30 p.m., NC DHHS and NC Medicaid Chief Medical Officer Dr. Shannon Dowler will host a webinar to discuss improving these measures in light of COVID-19 as well as provide clinical policy updates on telehealth and extensions of temporary policies and rates. In this webinar, community physicians who have had success in these preventive areas during the COVID-19 outbreak will describe innovative ways to get patients in for recommended care.
To attend the webinar, click here. You can also dial in to the webinar by calling 312-626-6799 and entering webinar ID: 848 964 708.
For more information, please visit the Keeping Kids Well webpage.