My youngest son, Daniel, was diagnosed with autism at the age of 3 1/2 years old. Our family was thrown into our own “how to navigate our autism” journey. Although my son has limited language now, he was essentially non-verbal in those early years. Communication was difficult. Thankfully, here and there, we met wonderful providers,…
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…
Policy: Celebrating Progress and Looking Ahead
This article also appears in the Winter 2023 issue of Spectrum. When you have been advocating for a long time, it can feel like no progress is being made. When we see growing waiting lists and know that services for people with disabilities remain unstaffed, it is easy to lose hope. There is good…
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…
The Samantha R vs. the State of North Carolina Court Decision
In February of 2020 the State was found to be in violation of the Persons with Disabilities Protection Act and that people with disabilities in North Carolina were being unnecessarily institutionalized, or were at risk for being institutionalized, due to a lack of community-based options. The decision reinforced what people with disabilities, their families and…
Public Policy Updates – May 2022
Services in NC Medicaid Plan NC plans to offer additional services to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, as well as others, under (i) services plan through the Medicaid program. When Tailored Plans begin operation December 1, 2022 as part of the state’s Medicaid Transformation some of the services that LME-MCOs offered under b(3) such…