Medicaid Bulletin

PACE organizations should continue to follow the guidance of the local, state and federal officials regarding COVID-19 and thoroughly document reasoning for making decisions which may fall outside of the PACE program model. This guidance supplements the Special Bulletin COVID-19 #27 released on March 30, 2020.  The temporary flexibilities noted in Special Bulletin COVID-19 #27 and this Special Bulletin will end the earlier of the cancellation of the North Carolina state of emergency declaration or December 31, 2020.

Effective April 16, 2020, NC Medicaid, in partnership with the DHHS Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse Services, is temporarily modifying its Behavioral Health and Intellectual and Developmental Disability Clinical Coverage Policies to better enable the delivery of care to NC Medicaid, NC Health Choice and State-funded individuals in response to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Effective March 10, 2020, through the conclusion of the North Carolina declared state of emergency related to the COVID-19 crisis, NC Medicaid is temporarily increasing the number of therapeutic leave days for Intermediate Care Facilities for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (ICF-IIDs) from 60 days to 90 days and waiving the requirement of approval needed more than 15 consecutive days per Clinical Coverage Policy 8E.

Given the presence of the COVID-19 virus in North Carolina, point of sale pharmacy claims processing flexibility has been instituted to help reduce the administrative burden of providing appropriate medications in a timely fashion to NC Medicaid and NC Health Choice beneficiaries. 

The following new or amended clinical coverage policies are available on the Clinical Coverage Policies web page on NC Medicaid’s website: 3K-2, Community Alternatives Program for Disabled Adults (CAP/DA) – March 1, 2020   

NC Medicaid has temporarily modified its Telemedicine and Telepsychiatry Clinical Coverage Policy to better enable the delivery of remote care to Medicaid beneficiaries.

SPECIAL BULLETIN COVID-19 #42: Telehealth Clinical Policy Modifications – Postpartum Care.has been replaced by SPECIAL BULLETIN COVID-19 #49: Telehealth Clinical Policy Modifications – Interim Perinatal Care Guidance.

Eligible Providers and Services - Optometrists may now bill for the following services when delivered remotely:

NC Medicaid has temporarily modified the delivery of specific optical and hearing aid services to reduce in-person visits for Medicaid and NC Health Choice beneficiaries due to the state of emergency related to COVID-19.

Note: SPECIAL BULLETIN COVID-19 #39 replaces SPECIAL BULLETIN COVID-19 #8: Face-to-Face Provider Site Visits and Fingerprinting Requirements Temporarily Suspended Due to COVID-19 Outbreak. Changes to the prior Bulletin are: