NC Health Choice Task Force
The Secretary of the North Carolina Department
of Health and Human Services, the Honorable Carmen Hooker Odom,
asked the North Carolina Institute of Medicine (NC IOM) to convene
a task force to study options to ensure the long-term financial
viability of the NC Health Choice program given the current
fiscal constraints of the state budget. The Task Force was asked
to explore different options, including changes in enrollment,
benefits, utilization, and professional reimbursement rates.
The NC General Assembly specifically charged the Task Force
with examining health professional reimbursement rates under
this program.
Secretary Hooker Odom, and Olson Huff, MD, Senior Fellow, NC
Child Advocacy Institute, Past President of the North Carolina
Pediatric Society, and founding Medical Director of the Ruth
and Billy Graham Children's Health Center, co-chaired the Task
Force. The Task Force was comprised of 28 members, including
legislators, staff within the Governor's Office, health professionals,
representatives of different provider organizations, and child
and health consumer advocates. Pam Silberman, JD, DrPH, Vice
President of the NC Institute of Medicine, and Gordon H. DeFriese,
PhD, President and CEO of the NC Institute of Medicine, were
the primary staff to the Task Force. In addition, the work of
the Task Force was supported by staff of the NC Institute of
Medicine, NC Division of Medical Assistance, Women's and Children's
Health Section of the NC Division of Public Health, NC Teachers'
and State Employees' Health Plan, Blue Cross Blue Shield of
North Carolina, and Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services
Research at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
The Task Force met on four occasions, from October 2002 through
January 2003. This report reflects the work of the Task Force.
It is divided into six sections: overview of the NC Health Choice,
program evaluation, program financing, program expenditures,
recommendations and summary of fiscal and cost effectiveness
implications. Other options considered but rejected are included
in Appendix A.
