NC Medicaid Planning for October 1 Medicaid Expansion Launch

With state budget negotiations ongoing, NCDHHS has worked with CMS to negotiate a compromise to begin submitting documents needed for federal approval to launch Medicaid expansion on October 1, 2023.

Medicaid expansion will be transformative for access to health care in rural areas, for better mental health and for veterans, working adults and their families while bringing billions in federal dollars to the State.

Since the legislation to expand Medicaid was signed into law in March, NCDHHS has been completing the extensive policy and technical work necessary to launch expansion. Our implementation plan was organized around obtaining final authority from the General Assembly by June 30.

With the state budget negotiations now slipping toward August, NCDHHS has worked with CMS to negotiate a compromise to begin submitting documents needed for federal approval to launch Medicaid expansion on October 1, 2023.

To meet this date, the final legislative authority would have to be enacted by September 1, 2023, through enactment of the state budget or Medicaid expansion would have to be “de-coupled” from the State budget. If neither of these actions occur, NC Medicaid will announce a new launch date later.

Critical to Medicaid expansion’s success is a robust provider network ready to serve newly enrolled beneficiaries. To become a Medicaid enrolled provider, please start the process at the NCTracks Provider Enrollment webpage. Once enrolled, providers can contract with the health plans in their area. Information on provider contracting is available on the NC Medicaid Provider Contracting with Health Plans webpage.

If you are a currently enrolled Medicaid provider, check to make sure your information is correct in NCTracks, including whether you are accepting new patients. For more information about the managed change request process, please see NCTracks.

NC Medicaid restarted provider reverifications in April 2023 with the end of the federal Public Health Emergency. Check to make sure your verification information is up to date in NCTracks so there is no interruption of your enrollment.

NC Medicaid would like to thank all providers for your participation in the NC Medicaid program and for your support in making Medicaid expansion successful.

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