N.C. Department of Health and Human Services

Tough cases used to save program

bniolet — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:56:07 -0500

In another fight against Medicaid belt-tightening, the Association for Home & Hospice Care of N.C. is trying to rally the public against cutting private duty nursing services.

An association lobbyist, Carter Wrenn, posted a video on his blog, Talking about Politics, highlighting the stories of patients with chronic conditions who rely on private duty nursing to live at home, Lynn Bonner reports.

The 6 1/2-minute video, tugs, clubs and pulverizes your heart strings.

At the end (We confess, we had to fast forward. Couldn't take the sorrow.), Tim Rogers, the association's executive vice president, asks viewers to write Gov. Bev Perdue, Lanier Cansler, Department of Health and Human Services secretary and Dr. Craigan Gray, the state Medicaid director, to ask them to restore money for patients who depend on private duty nursing.

Stimulus sends 16 to San Diego

bniolet — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:08:55 -0500

UNCLE SAM'S BUYING: The state is using $140,000 in federal stimulus money to send 16 employees to child development workshops in San Diego while North Carolina has thousands of struggling families seeking subsidized care for their children. Critics say the money should be used to create jobs. (N&O)

LINE INSURANCE: PSNC Energy, the Triangle's natural gas utility, is raising questions with its newest line of business: insuring water lines and sewer lines against damage. The insurance coverage is not regulated by the N.C. Utilities Commission. (N&O)

TAX BREAK: The legislature estimates the state will forgo $1.4 million in tax revenue this weekend, and area retailers say they have high hopes based on how they did last year during tax holiday. (N&O)

Rate cut reversal?

lbonner — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:50:23 -0400

Worried about steep cuts in Medicaid rates for services county public health offices provide low-income pregnant women and troubled children, child and health advocates last week talked about sick infants dying and public health offices possibly having to fire nurses they couldn't afford.

After the outcry, Dr. Craigan Gray, the state's Medicaid director, said rate cuts for case management for the children and pregnant women's programs would remain at 19 percent, rather than jump to near 40 percent."It leaves public health a few dollars better off than the 40 percent cut," he said.

The case management cuts were to the maternity care coordination, child services coordination, health check and early intervention programs.

Gray said the decision to keep the cut at 19 percent was independent of the public criticism.

"We've been thinking about this for a long time, and talking about this a long time," Gray said in an interview last week. "It's not a new idea. The direction has been headed that way for many weeks."

Keeping the 19 percent rate reduction will cost the state about $1 million, he said.

Gray said the concerns about public health offices not being able to pay bills were overblown. Every year, the federal government settles accounts, and pays local offices for their actual costs, he said. To help public health offices keep up with their bills, the state had decided to settle costs every three months, he said.

Lynette Tolson, executive director of the N.C. Association of Local Health Directors, said Monday she had not heard from the Medicaid office that it would not go through with the 40 percent cut, or that it would go to quarterly cost settlements.

"This has been our rollercoaster," she said. "We get information from different people, a legislator, it could be from anyone. The only thing we know there's going to be a 36 percent to 39 percent cut in rates. There's nothing else formal that's come out."

Even if the public health offices will get the higher rate, there are still questions about how the programs will operate, she said.

Tom Vitaglione, senior fellow with Action for Children N.C., also heard rumors that the public health services would get the lesser rate cuts, and thought the public pressure helped reverse the state's decision.

'I'm just disappointed we had to go this far," he said.

Dix to stay open, sign of failed reform

bniolet — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 08:16:58 -0400

After working for nearly a decade to close Dorothea Dix Hospital, state mental health administrators now intend to keep a sizable number of staff and patients at the aging Raleigh facility for years.

Lanier Cansler, secretary for the state Department of Health and Human Services, said this week that he plans to move about half of Dix's more than 200 patients to Central Regional Hospital in Butner when it opens fully in October.

But he said Dix will remain open as a stand-alone psychiatric hospital, with its own director and administrative staff. It will no longer serve as a satellite campus for the new Butner facility.

State legislators affirmed that decision earlier this month when they approved a state budget that restored $6 million in funding for operations at Dix for the next year. That move came as legislators made $155 million in spending cuts for other mental health programs in the 2010 budget.

The move to continue operating Dix as a state mental hospital will hamper efforts to turn the more than 300 acres between downtown Raleigh and N.C. State University into a major park operated by the City of Raleigh or a nonprofit foundation.

It also offers evidence that the sweeping 2001 mental health reform plan has failed. A centerpiece of that effort, which was passed by the legislature and carried out by the administration of former Gov. Mike Easley, was a plan to reduce the need for beds at mental hospitals. Instead, there would be more private, community-based treatment. (N&O)

Budget: health and human services

bniolet — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 08:25:31 -0400

The budget proposal would reduce Medicaid provider rates to save $76 million. The budget would also:

* Cut funding for community support services in the Division of Medical Assistance by $65 million.

* Reduce funding for the Smart Start early childhood program by $16 million.

* Eliminate 350 positions within the Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse Services to save $12.9 million.

* Cut funding to local mental health services providers by $3 million.

* Reduce funds by $8.5 million for services that are not core to the mental health division.

* Reduce state funding for services provided through local providers by $40 million.

More after the jump.

State owes feds $300m for overbilling

bniolet — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 16:22:34 -0400

The state must repay about $300 million to the federal government for overbilling Medicaid.

Starting last November, public hospital Medicaid payments were improperly billed to the federal government rather than to a state account, according to the state Department of Health and Human Services, Lynn Bonner reports.

The state has agreed to repay $200 million by the end of the month, and the rest by the end of the year.

"This mistake should not have been made," DHHS secretary Lanier Cansler said in a statement. "Originating almost eight months ago, it should have been identified and reported earlier. I have discussed the matter with the Governor, and I am aggressively working to strengthen the internal controls and will take whatever other remedial actions may be necessary."

New mental health post on hold

bniolet — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 12:06:16 -0400

Department of Health and Human Services secretary Lanier Cansler talked back in February about hiring an assistant secretary who would concentrate on expanding community mental health services.

The person would work with private providers, local mental health offices, advocacy groups and others on getting services where they're needed, Lynn Bonner reports.

Cansler hasn't filled that job yet. It's not the hiring freeze that's put the move on hold, Cansler said, but a time crunch that has him focused on big, immediate issues like the budget.

Cansler said he has been talking to potential hires about the position.

"I hope in the coming weeks we will name someone," he said.

Wood: 'Cold eye' needed to stop waste

bniolet — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 12:13:37 -0400

State Auditor Beth Wood told legislators that state agencies need better oversight of vendor contracts.

Citing three recent audits involving the state Department of Health and Human Services, the state health plan, and and office supply purchases that revealed poor monitoring and other deficiences, Wood said contracts the state signs should be reviewed by a "cold eye," Lynn Bonner reports

The auditor's office cannot make agencies change the way they do business, Wood said, but she suggested legislators consider some action that would prevent mistakes that lead to waste.

The legislature's Program Evaluation Oversight Committee has invited Wood to make regular reports on audit findings.

"We want to make sure audit reports don't just sit on the shelf," said Sen. Dan Clodfelter, a Charlotte Democrat.

If the program evaluation staff finds patterns of problems identified in state audits, Wood will be invited to the committee to talk about them, said evaluation division director John Turcotte.

Cansler: Budget cuts unprecedented

ryanteaguebeckwith — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 12:56:50 -0400

Lanier Cansler, secretary of the state Department of Health and Human Services, told employees in an e-mail Monday that the budget cuts considered in the state House are "historic in nature and unprecedented in amount."

Cansler wrote of his hope that the legislature would consider increased taxes on alcohol and tobacco to bring in more money, but told workers to prepare for budget reductions, Lynn Bonner reports.

All offices and divisions will have to reevaluate their priorities and figure out how to do things differently, Cansler wrote. He asked those with ideas on how to do things better to talk to their supervisors.

"Working together, we can meet this challenge and emerge from these difficult financial times a stronger and better focused Department for serving our State’s citizens. I look forward to working with you as we strive to meet the needs and expectation of those we serve."

Document(s):
cansler-06.08.09.pdf

Perdue outlines energy plan

ryanteaguebeckwith — Thu, 21 May 2009 12:11:24 -0400

CARY — Standing in front of solar farm, Gov. Beverly Perdue this morning announced an energy program designed to both make North Carolina more energy efficient and also create more jobs connected to the so-called green economy.

The governor proposed investing more public money in private alternate energy start-up companies, elevate state energy policies, and also make state government more energy efficient, Rob Christensen reports.

"Developing our green economy is one of the cornerstones of why I wanted to be governor," Perdue said.

Perdue said the proposals were part of her campaign promise in 2008, in which she said she would work to produce more jobs in North Carolina for projects such as weatherizing homes and businesses, and making the equipment needed for alternative energy forms such as solar power.

After the jump, her proposals.