The 2025 federal budget deliberations taking place in Washington, D.C., put Medicaid at unprecedented risk. The Budget Committee’s most recent draft instructs the Energy and Commerce Committee, which funds Medicaid, to cut at least $880 billion from its budget over the next 10 years. Medicaid is crucial for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD),…
Medicaid – Will you be eligible for health care under the new expanded Medicaid program?
Starting December 1, 2023, North Carolina will expand health insurance coverage under Medicaid to people up to 138% of the federal poverty guidelines. This means more people will qualify including people who were not eligible previously. NC Medicaid covers most health services. It includes doctor visits, check-ups, emergency care, hospital services, maternity and postpartum care,…
Legislative & Policy Update – NC Passes a State Budget
The NC Senate and House passed the budget conference committee report for H259, the Appropriations Act for 2023-2025 on September 22nd, ending several months of negotiations that delayed the state budget nearly three months into the fiscal year. The budget includes significant amounts of funding for behavioral health and developmental disabilities services and funding for…
Policy Update: State Budget Delays, Tailored Plan Delays, 1915(i) Services Authorized
Budget Process Halted; State Budget Delayed until at least August House and Senate Budget Conferees have been named to work out differences between the two versions of the state budget (H259, the Appropriations Act for 2023-2025); however, negotiations have been delayed. Legislative leaders have cited differences over both tax cuts/revenue changes and non-budget legislation, including…
Public Policy Update: Medicaid Expansion Bill Signed, House Budget Released, Make Your Voice Heard to Senate
Expansion Bill Passes, Signed by Governor: House Bill 76 Access to Healthcare Options was passed by the NC General Assembly March 23 and signed into law March 27. The bill would extend Medicaid benefits to people in the health care coverage gap, whose income is under 133% of the federal poverty levels and do not…
Public Policy Update: Governor’s Budget Released, Medicaid Expansion Bill Advances, Medicaid Services Updates
On March 15, the Governor released his budget proposal. It is quite extensive, and in this entry, we have listed some highlights of items that have an impact on many people on the autism spectrum and their families and which address our public policy priorities. Health and Human Services $126 million for 2,000 more Innovations waiver…
Public Policy Update: Tailored Plans, NC Budget, and Medicaid Expansion
Tailored Plans Delayed until October 1, 2023 NC Department of Health and Human Services (NC DHHS) announced that the new Tailored Plans under Medicaid will be delayed again, this time until October 1, 2023. Citing concerns that people would have difficulties using primary care physicians and specialty health care services (“network adequacy”) and that other…
Medicaid Transformation and Tailored Plan Updates
For additional information about the Medicaid Transformation process in North Carolina, please visit our page of information and resources. New timeline released for Tailored Plan rollout The start of the new Tailored Plans, integrated health Medicaid Benefit Plans for people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (I/DD), as well as those with significant mental health and…
1915(i) Services Update: State Plan Amendment Released
Medicaid will be offering new services called 1915(i) services to people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (I/DD), including autism, as well as those with mental health issues and substance use disorders. 1915(i) services will eventually replace B3 services when Tailored Plans launch in April, 2023. Unlike B3, 1915(i) services are an entitlement. This means that…