The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced that the North Carolina Community Care Networks (NC-CCN) was selected to expand Patient Centered Medical Homes. The Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) is a comprehensive approach to primary care for patients and coordinated care throughout the system. Centered on primary care, it reduces costs and improves quality. The PCMH encourages the use of primary and preventative care for patients which moves away from the current model of acute episodic care.
The NC-CCN was implemented in 1998 as a demonstration program to better manage the enrolled Medicaid population through community providers. The NC-CCN’s Patient Centered Medical Homes are estimated to have made cost savings of over $500 million from 2003 to 2007 alone. This model of care will now be expanded to include patients who are dual-eligible for both the Medicaid and Medicare programs, as well as Medicare beneficiaries. The PCMH is currently available for Medicaid patients only.
This announcement by CMS was met with praise from United States Senator Kay Hagan (D—NC) and North Carolina Governor Bev Perdue.
"The patient-centered medical home, which was pioneered in North Carolina, is an innovative delivery system that improves patient health and saves taxpayer money," Senator Hagan said. "It's great news for North Carolina that CMS has allowed our state to expand this worthwhile program to additional North Carolinians." To view Senator Hagan's full press release, click here.
"North Carolina is a leader when it comes to the medical home care system that improves quality of care while reducing costs," said Gov. Perdue. "North Carolina's innovative solutions continue to be recognized nationally."
Women In Government was excited to have a presentation at our 16th Annual State Directors’ Conference on the PCMH. The meeting was held January 7 – 9, 2010 in Dana Point, California. For more information on this conference, including the PCMH, click here.
