Six counties have asked NC DHHS Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen for permission to leave Cardinal Innovations and join another managed care organization (MCO). They listed significant problems with the MCO. Cardinal Innovations uses Medicaid funds to help more than 800,000 people with complex needs get behavioral healthcare services.
However, many people aren’t getting what they need. For example, there are months-long wait lists for critical services like psychiatric treatment. Children stay in emergency care for long periods of time because of a lack of resources. And these systemic failures are not unique to Cardinal. They exist throughout the state.
DRNC urges the Secretary to take action and ensure statewide accountability for the billions of taxpayer dollars NC’s MCOs control. Statewide accountability is the only way to make sure people with disabilities have the care they need. And only Dr. Cohen has the power to make that happen. This is especially important as the state begins to rely more on managed care. In the future, NC plans to have MCOs manage both physical and behavioral health care. Dr. Cohen must make sure this new model is able to give people the services they need to live and thrive in their communities.
Read the letter DRNC wrote to Secretary Cohen.
News & Observer: Three years after a state takeover, Cardinal Innovations faces new challenges