The Arc of North Carolina :: North Carolina Action Alert

The Arc of NC is a membership organization that advocates for people with intellectual and related developmental disabilities and their families. It is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors. The Arc of NC also provides a variety of services for people with developmental disabilities in NC. These services include: Case Management in many parts of the state (not in PBH); CAP/DD, Corporate Guardianship, some state-funded periodic and support services in many counties including the PBH catchment area; Community Guide Services in PBH area only. Additionally, The Arc provides property management for residential settings owned by separate corporate entities either established by The Arc or other non-profit organizations.

PBH Takes a Swing at The Arc

On 4/29/10, PBH released a response to The Arc of NC’s Position on Managed Care Waivers. We are reviewing this lengthy document. A full reply will be posted here soon. In the meantime you should know:

The PBH document attacks the integrity of The Arc’s advocacy. It attempts to characterize our position on the expansion of MC Waivers as motivated by potential monetary gain within the services we provide. This is untrue. The Arc has, for nearly 60 years, been the constant advocate for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families; the steadfast advocate for rights, dignity and adequate services and supports. Our opposition to the inclusion of people with developmental disabilities in a managed care system is that the people will have nothing to gain and much to lose.

Read the PBH document by clicking here.

President of The Arc Board Responds to PBH

"Managed Care" Waivers

Currently, PBH (formerly Piedmont Behavioral Health) is the only Local Management Entity (LME) operating under a combined 1915(b)(c) waiver, usually referred to as a "managed care" waiver. PBH covers Cabarrus, Davidson, Rowan, Stanly and Union Counties.

What are combined/managed care waivers?
How do they work?
How they will affect people with intellectual and developmental disabilities?

It is very important that we understand what these waivers are. The state has been clear on their intent to convert all of NC to these waivers. This will radically change our system into one that is fully controlled by regional managed care entities operated by the LMEs.

All of us: staff, families, and individuals with disabilities need to be knowledgeable participants in this discussion before the General Assembly returns in May. Please scroll down to get information on the public forums that The Arc is hosting across the state.

Significant Changes include:

Flexibility of LME to determine rates and service definitions
Ability to ration service dollars to most critical services
Ability to limit provider network and other managed care benefits
Ability to predict costs
Reduction in provider choice
Some protections associated with the Medicaid program could be reduced
The local nature of the service system could be lost
It is anticipated that the larger expansion of this model (statewide) will be accomplished by combining LMEs, not necessarily geographically connected

Memo for RFA for 1915 (b)(c) Waiver Expansion

Request for Application

DHHS Waiver Fact Sheet 1

DHHS Fact Sheet 2

NC MHDDSAS Website

Currently, PBH (formerly Piedmont Behavioral Health) is the only Local Management Entity (LME) operating under a combined 1915(b)(c) waiver, usually referred to as a "Managed Care" waiver. PBH covers Cabarrus, Davidson, Rowan, Stanly and Union Counties.

It is very important that we understand what these waivers are. The state has been clear on the intent to convert all of NC to these waivers. This will radically change our system into one that is fully controlled by regional managed care entities operated by the LMEs.

All of us: staff, families, and individuals with disabilities need to be knowledgeable participants in this discussion before the General Assembly returns in May.

For locations that already are using �Managed Care� waivers through PBH, The Arc will be collecting information from attendees on how the Innovations waiver is working for them.

Where: The Enrichment Center, 1006 S. Marshall Street Winston Salem, NC 27101

Where: Millbrook Exchange Center, 1905 Spring Forest Road, Raleigh, NC 27615

Where: Durham Public Library- Main Branch 300 N. Roxboro Street, Durham, NC 27701