NC AHEC Practice Support is celebrating 20 years
(2006-2026)
Established in 1972 to address healthcare workforce shortages, NC AHEC Practice Support has evolved from focusing on medical training to providing tailored, on-the-ground, and virtual coaching for primary care, behavioral health, and specialty practices across all 100 North Carolina counties, aiding over 1,300 practices with health IT, quality improvement, and Medicaid transformation. Thank you for 20 years of making a difference in the lives of others in North Carolina.
Updates
AmeriHealth Caritas NC Launches Gaps in Care Incentive Program for PCPs
Effective July 1, 2026, AmeriHealth Caritas North Carolina is launching a Gaps in Care Incentive Program that rewards primary care providers for closing key preventive and chronic care gaps. Incentives are available for improving outcomes related to:
• Blood pressure control
• Diabetes management
• Well-child visits in the first 30 months of life
• Adolescent immunizations
The program aims to improve quality outcomes, support health equity, and encourage preventive care. The first measurement period runs from July 1 – September 30, 2026, with incentive payments expected in December 2026.
Providers are encouraged to review program requirements and identify eligible members to maximize quality performance and incentive opportunities.
Carolina Complete Health & Trillium Tailored Plan Update
Beginning October 1, 2026, providers serving Trillium Tailored Plan members will need to submit claims directly to Trillium through its new unified claims platform. Some prior authorization requests will also transition to Trillium, while select specialty service authorizations will continue through existing partners.
This change applies to all physical health providers serving Trillium members, including those currently contracted through Carolina Complete Health. Providers should prepare for workflow and system updates and watch for contracting information from Clearlink Partners.
Trillium encourages providers to attend upcoming information sessions and stay informed through network bulletins to ensure a smooth transition.
NCIR Modernization: June 30 Readiness Update
As North Carolina prepares for the transition to the new North Carolina Immunization Registry (NCIR), practices should continue completing readiness activities outlined in the NCIR Readiness Checklist. Key priorities include verifying user access, ensuring staff complete required training, reviewing clinic workflows, identifying a designated NCIR Site Administrator, and working with EHR vendors to confirm system readiness. Practices should also be aware that NCIP has temporarily paused new data exchange onboarding activities during the transition. Completing ready-made tasks now will help minimize workflow disruptions and ensure a successful go-live when implementation begins.
NC HealthConnex Teletown Hall
During June 2026 NC HealthConnex Teletown Hall, the NC Health Information Exchange Authority (NC HIEA) shared updates on ongoing efforts to strengthen statewide health information exchange and improve provider engagement. Highlights included enhancements to provider outreach and training, continued expansion of data sharing capabilities, and initiatives to increase utilization of the NC HealthConnex Clinical Portal. The session also reinforced the value of timely, complete data exchange to support care coordination, reduce duplicate services, and improve patient outcomes. Practices are encouraged to ensure staff have appropriate Clinical Portal access and take advantage of available NC HIEA training resources to maximize the benefits of NC HealthConnex. Slide deck of the presentation.
As a reminder, organizations with a Full Participation Agreement have access to the NC HealthConnex Suite of Services, regardless of their current connection status. Practices are encouraged to review available training resources and ensure appropriate staff have access to tools that can support daily workflows.
Upcoming support opportunities include NC HealthConnex Office Hours on September 24, where participants can bring questions and receive guidance. Questions will be answered on a first-come, first-served basis.
Helpful resources:
Study Highlights Impact of Healthy Opportunities Pilots in North Carolina
A new evaluation from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) highlights the impact of the Healthy Opportunities Pilots (HOP) program in improving health outcomes and reducing health care costs for NC Medicaid members. The study found that HOP participants experienced an average reduction of $164 per member per month in total health care costs, along with fewer emergency department visits and hospitalizations and improved access to services addressing food, housing, transportation, and other health-related social needs.
The findings reinforce the important role of addressing social drivers of health to improve care coordination, support patient well-being, and reduce avoidable health care utilization.
To learn more about the study findings and the future of the Healthy Opportunities Pilots, visit the full NCDHHS evaluation: Healthy Opportunities Pilots Evaluation.
PODCAST: What if it's me? A manager's response to turnover
Your best employees keep walking out the door. Maybe it's time to take a painful look in the mirror and consider if your management style may be contributing to the problem. GeGe Beall of Engaged At Work discusses this uncomfortable issue and how you can face it and transform your practice into a place employees enjoy.
Find out more about GeGe at engagedatwork.com.
For information about the North Carolina Practice Management Academy, visit ncahecpma.org
Continuing Professional Development
In-Person | Live Webinar
Looking to grow your skills or stay ahead of regulatory changes? SR-AHEC Continuing Professional Development offers a variety of courses through in-person sessions and live webinars. Our trainings are practical, timely, and tailored to today’s healthcare environment.
Explore upcoming opportunities and register today!
Click here to see our full course catalog
We have a new web address for the Practice Management Academy
ncahecpma.org - Go check it out!
Any bookmark you have should still work because we've mapped the old URL to the new one. If you'd like to see what our new page looks like, you may need to sign out of the academy so you can see the landing page. Anyone can join the free side of the Practice Management Academy. This includes any free courses, access to our group chat, and announcements about upcoming classes and events. We hope this new address and page will be easier to navigate and share.
