First Medicaid Managed Care Members Receive Food Services  

Raleigh -- The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services announced in a press release

today that the Healthy Opportunities Pilot program has reached a key milestone.  Ten  managed care members
getting meal services offered through NC Medicaid Managed Care.

Mission Health Partners issued the first referral for care to Reinvestment Partners, a statewide nonprofit organization, on behalf of an NC Medicaid Managed Care member in Transylvania County. Food vouchers for fruits and vegetables were delivered by Reinvestment Partners to the eligible family. This referral took advantage of the Healthy Opportunities Pilots' innovative infrastructure, collaborations, and payment mechanisms. Those with a diet or nutrition-related chronic condition can use the food vouchers to buy fruits and vegetables at participating grocery stores. More than 20 people have enrolled and are able to receive services since the first vouchers were issued across the three test zones. The NCDHHS anticipates that these figures will continue to rise.

"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Connecting North Carolinians to food, housing, employment and other resources keeps people healthy and is a smart investment for public dollars," said NCDHHS Secretary Kody H. Kinsley. "I appreciate the tremendous efforts of our public and private partners to launch this pilot, and I’m confident this program will help identify the most effective strategies to improve the health and wellness of North Carolinians.

Healthy Opportunities is the first comprehensive program in the US to explore evidence-based, non-medical treatments aimed at improving Medicaid beneficiaries' health while lowering expenses. Healthy meals and nutrition lessons, transportation to grocery stores or job interviews, mold remediation and housing safety inspections, parenting curricula and home visiting services, and legal help are just a few of the treatments available.

The ground-breaking program establishes a systematic strategy to integrating and financing non-medical services such as food security, housing stability, transit access, and interpersonal safety into health-care delivery. The pilots are evaluating the impact of giving higher-risk adults enrolled in NC Medicaid Managed Care with evidence-based non-medical treatments.

"Healthy Opportunities is a critical component of our cutting-edge NC Medicaid Managed Care program," stated Dave Richard, NC Medicaid's Deputy Secretary. "We can have a substantial influence on the health of our clients by addressing important obstacles that arise outside of a doctor's office, such as food access."

NC Medicaid Managed Care participants must live in one of the three selected regions, have at least one qualifying physical or behavioral health condition, and have at least one qualifying social risk factor to be eligible for and receive pilot services. The frequently asked questions section of the pilot program contains detailed information about eligibility.

Housing and transportation services will be accessible in the three regions beginning May 1, 2022, and programs addressing toxic stress, such as parenting curriculums and home visiting services, will begin on June 15.

The pilots' objectives are to:

*Evaluate the effectiveness of select, evidence-based, non-medical interventions and the role of the Network Leads in improving health outcomes and reducing health care costs for high-risk NC Medicaid Managed Care members.

*Leverage evaluation findings to embed cost-effective interventions that improve health outcomes for those enrolled in the Medicaid program statewide, furthering the department’s goals for a sustainable Medicaid program.

*Support the sustainability of delivering the non-medical services identified as effective through the evaluation, including by strengthening the capabilities of Human Service Organizations and partnerships with health care payers and providers.

For more information about Healthy Opportunities Pilots, please visit https://www.ncdhhs.gov/about/department-initiatives/healthy-opportunities/healthy-opportunities-pilots

Wnctimes by Marjorie Farrington March 28, 2022