The state joins nearly 40 others who adopted the model in an effort to save money and improve care by using a small cast of companies that manage user plans, according to WFAE.
North Carolina’s model uses six regions and plans for its over 1.6 million Medicaid recipients, with HealthyBlue holding the most membership at over 356,000.
The state assigned plans to 85 percent of recipients with efforts to keep them with their current physician. Those unhappy with their assignment have a grace period to make a change.
The state has been facing concerns that many residents are unaware of the upcoming change and its effects, including Medicaid users. As many as 62 percent of North Carolinians and 43 percent of the state’s Medicaid enrollees did not know of the change.
