North Carolina Governor Josh Stein has directed the state health department to restore Medicaid reimbursement rates.
Five notes:
1. The order will restore rates back to what they were as of Sept. 30, according to a Dec. 10 news release.
2. The health department cut rates at various levels depending on the provider in October due to the state operating under a budget deficit.
3. The state continues to operate without a budget — an issue expected to lead into next year — leading to several lawsuits.
4. The department still faces a $319 million funding gap, which means Medicaid could exhaust its funding before the end of the year.
5. Shelley Olson, DDS, president of the North Carolina Dental Society, applauded the reversal of the cuts and said her organization will continue to work toward long-term increases in dental Medicaid rates.
