Acentra Health Awarded North Carolina’s $56.9M Comprehensive Independent Assessment Entity Contract to Enable Timelier Access to Medicaid Long-Term Services and Supports

December 14, 2023 at 08:22 AM EST

MCLEAN, Va., Dec. 14, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Acentra Health, formed by the merger of CNSI and Kepro, announced today that the North Carolina (NC) Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) awarded the company the Comprehensive Independent Assessment Entity (CIAE) contract for the NC Medicaid program. As the CIAE, Acentra Health will implement and operate the state’s new clinical delivery model, the NC Medicaid Linking Individuals & Families for Long Term Services and Supports (NCLIFTSS), creating a single point of access for multiple long term services and supports (LTSS) programs. NCLIFTSS will enable timelier access for beneficiaries deemed eligible to receive Medicaid LTSS and create a smoother referral process for providers. The NCLIFTSS contract includes a three-year base term valued at $56.9 million and two one-year extension options totaling $41.9 million.

“We are delighted to partner with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services in creating a best-in-class experience for beneficiaries and providers in accessing long-term support services,” said Acentra Health CEO Todd Stottlemyer. “Acentra Health’s referral and request processing teams are highly skilled and receive intensive training on delivering person-centered interactions that help our state Medicaid agency clients accelerate better health outcomes for the populations they serve.”

Per the contracted scope of work, Acentra Health will partner with NCDHHS to streamline access to its LTSS programs in NC Medicaid Direct (non-managed care Medicaid). This will help reduce the length of time between initial intake and service enrollment for beneficiaries, leading to faster interventions and better overall health outcomes. Once complete, the individual programs will be branded as NCLIFTSS, which will simplify enrollment and access to services. NCLIFTSS will include:

State Plan Personal Care Services (PCS)
Community Alternatives Program for Children (CAP/C)
Community Alternatives Program for Disabled Adults (CAP/DA)
Preadmission Screening and Resident Review (PASRR) Level II
Transition of Care Coordination

Acentra Health will process NCLIFTSS referrals, conduct assessments and eligibility for program enrollment and utilization, perform quality assurance reviews, staff a dedicated beneficiary/member LTSS resource line, and perform outreach to under-served LTSS beneficiaries. The company will also develop provider training that drives enhanced quality and improves outcomes.

“Acentra Health has over three decades of experience providing assessment and eligibility services for state Medicaid programs and today processes and manages over 700,000 referral requests annually,” said Meghan Harris, Acentra Health’s President and Chief Operations Officer. “We look forward to working with NCLIFTSS to improve care quality and enhance outcomes for North Carolinians needing long term services and supports.”

About Acentra Health

Acentra Health, formed by the merger of industry leaders CNSI and Kepro, combines public sector knowledge, clinical expertise, and technological ingenuity to modernize the healthcare experience for state and federal partners and their priority populations. From designing and developing advanced claims, encounter, and provider solutions that drive efficiency and cost savings to delivering clinically focused service models for care management and quality oversight, Acentra Health is accelerating better outcomes. Acentra Health is backed by Carlyle (NASDAQ: CG), a global investment firm. Learn more at acentra.com

Media Contact:
Janice Moore
VP, Corporate Communications
703-214-3552