Submitted by Lee Dobson, Area Director, NC Government Affairs (GAO)

 On August 8, Secretary Mandy Cohen released her Program Design for Medicaid Managed Care. This is the first step in transforming the state’s Medicaid system to address both the physical and behavioral health of North Carolinians.  The proposed program design seeks to implement changes that advances high-value care, improves population health, engages and supports providers, and establishes a sustainable program with predictable costs.  BAYADA has formed a review workgroup to draft a formal comment to the program design, due September 8, and later the waiver application.  The goal is to improve health by creating an innovative and well-coordinated Managed Care environment to address the whole-person.