On June 1, 2019, an amended version of Clinical Coverage Policy 10B, Independent Practitioners, was posted to the North Carolina Medicaid website. The following updates were made in accordance with State Plan Amendment (SPA) NC 18-0005 which allowed an expansion of the universe of documentation that a Local Education Agency (LEA) can use as a basis for providing school-based health services from beyond a student beneficiary’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) to also include the Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP), Individual Health Plan (IHP), Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP) or 504 Plan.

Clinical review is not required for North Carolina Medicaid and NC Health Choice hospice services until after the completion of the first and second 90-day benefit period.   

Due to the implementation of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) FY 2016 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update and Hospice Quality Reporting Requirements Final Rule, NC Medicaid made policy and system changes to allow for the use of two-tier hospice fee schedules effective Jan. 1, 2016.

NC Medicaid has received approval from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to increase rates for Evaluation and Management (E&M) procedure codes, as defined in Section 1202 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and paid to primary care physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants. In addition to the ACA primary care practitioners, obstetricians and gynecologists will also be included as primary care physicians.