NC H914

Effective October 1, 2021, the Department of Health and Human Services shall provide Medicaid rate increases to providers of direct care services, including waiver programs (CAP/C, CAP/DA, NC Innovations, TBI), personal care services, intermediate care facilities for individuals with intellectual disabilities, home health, nursing homes, and behavioral health residential facilities.

Providers receiving rate increases must use at least 80% of the funding to increase wages for direct care employees, with increases provided above employees' September 30, 2021 pay rates.

Local management entities/managed care organizations and prepaid health plans must adjust their per member per month capitation rates to implement the same rate increases for their contracted providers.

Providers must attest and provide verification that 80% of rate increase funding is used for direct care worker wage increases, with documentation available for review using methods such as payroll-based journals.

Appropriates $160,000,000 in recurring state funds for fiscal years 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 to match $333,674,792 in federal funds for each year; allows the Department to recoup funds from providers that fail to use 80% of increases for wage increases.