In an effort to better serve patients and offer quality health and safety services, Eastpointe has announced the increase of the service rate it pays for services through the N.C. Innovations Waiver.
N.C. Innovations Waiver assists individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities to live an independent life in the community and is a Medicaid-funded agency.
The effective date of the rate increase is May 1.
“The rates for these services have remained unchanged for 10 years,” Sarah Stroud, CEO of Eastpointe said. “We recognize the soaring costs of service provision, and hope that this rate increase will help bring rates in line with what it costs to provide the service. We believe that this rate increase will help our providers recruit and retain highly qualified employees. The quality and stability of our providers is critical to ensuring the health and safety of the members served by Eastpointe.”
According a press release issued by Eastpointe, the organizations is publicly managed and responsible for managing Medicaid behavioral health services in 12 counties. As a manged care organization, Eastpointe has a large network of providers with whom it contracts to deliver services.
Eastpointe receives a set amount of money each year for the NC Innovations Waiver services, and because of Eastpointe’s responsible management of these funds, there has been a cost savings. By increasing the rate it will pay to providers that deliver these services, Eastpointe is reinvesting those cost savings dollars back into its communities. The rate of increase will be up to 7 percent, according to the release, and has a potential financial impact of over $5 million for providers of these services. The rate increase applies to Personal Care, In- Home Skill Building for Individuals, Day Supports, Residential Supports, Respite Care, and more.
“As an Innovations provider, our agency is grateful each time that an MCO provides a rate increase,” Carol Choate, president of A Caring Heart Case Management Inc., one of the many providers contracted through Eastpointe, said when she heard of the increase. “The increase shows that Eastpointe understands the rising costs that NC Medicaid providers continue to face as we strive to provide quality services. The increase also reaffirms that the Eastpointe MCO board and leadership continue to value the partnership and commitment between the MCO and its providers to serve the most vulnerable members of our community.”