https://reasonstobecheerful.world/healthy-opportunities-north-carolina/
"In 2022, North Carolina launched an experimental initiative to address the
nonmedical health needs of low-income residents by using Medicaid dollars.
This first-in-the-nation effort, known as the Healthy Opportunities Pilot
(HOP), has provided assistance to nearly 30,000 people across three largely
rural regions of the state. Beneficiaries get deliveries of food, rides to
doctor’s appointments and other services that are designed to combat the
various social, economic and geographic issues that contribute to health
disparities.
Only 33 of the state’s 100 counties are included in the pilot, but more
communities could be covered if lawmakers vote to expand it.
The $650 million pilot was created through a waiver, issued by the Centers for
Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), that allowed the North Carolina
Department of Health and Human Services (NCHHS) to use federal Medicaid funds —
usually earmarked for medical expenses — to address needs like food,
transportation and housing. During the final weeks of the Biden administration,
CMS approved a waiver extension that gives the department the option of taking
the program statewide.
Kody Kinsley, the former NCDHHS secretary who spearheaded the program’s
rollout, said expanding the initiative will require the blessing of the North
Carolina General Assembly, which must agree to match whatever funding is
ultimately provided by the federal government.
Still, he believes the results will justify the investment. Early research
shows the state is spending about $85 less in medical costs per month for each
person participating in the pilot. Participation in the program has also been
“associated with decreased emergency department utilization,” according to a
report from the Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research at the
University of North Carolina.
“This is something worth doubling down on,” Kinsley said in a recent interview
with
North Carolina Health News. “It’s a huge investment for the federal
government, but it’s also a huge affirmation that our strategy is working.”
While the waiver extension allows the pilot to continue through 2029, the new
administration in Washington has Medicaid cuts in its sights — making the
program’s future far from secure."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
