Transcript Slide 1

Improving Maternal and
Perinatal Outcomes in
North Carolina
Patti Forest, MD
Medical Director
Division of Medical Assistance
North Carolina Statistics




Infant mortality has declined 56% in the state since
1975
NC ranked 45th among other states for infant
mortality in 2004- 2005
NC 2006 infant mortality rate was the lowest in
state history at 8.1 deaths per 1,000 live births
Medicaid paid for 48% of the 58,756 births in
NC in 2005
– 10.9% of Medicaid births were classified as low
birth weight but accounted for 42% of Medicaid
infant payments
Our Challenges….
Racial Disparity
NC Resident Infant Mortality Rates, 1977-2006
30.0
Rate per 1,000 Live Births
25.0
20.0
Total
White
Minority
15.0
10.0
5.0
0.0
1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
To tal
15.8
16.6
15.2
14.4
13.2
13.7
13.2
12.5
12.0
11.6
12.1
12.6
11.5
10.6
10.9
9.9
10.6
10.0
9.2
9.2
9.2
9.3
9.1
8.6
8.5
8.2
8.2
8.8
8.8
8.1
White
12.2
13.1
11.2
12.1
10.7
10.9
10.5
10.0
9.5
9.3
9.6
9.6
8.7
8.2
8.0
7.2
7.9
7.5
6.8
7.1
6.9
6.4
6.8
6.3
6.1
5.9
5.9
6.2
6.4
6.0
M ino rity
23.3 23.9 23.3
19.4
18.3
19.6
19.1
18.2
17.5
16.6
17.6
18.7
17.0
15.9
16.9
15.7
16.4
15.6
15.0
14.3
14.8
16.3
14.8
14.4
14.8
14.2
14.0
15.6
14.9
13.6
Our Challenges….
Regional Disparity
Our Successes….
And Continued
Opportunities


Teen pregnancy rate decreased from 71.7
per 1,000 pregnancies in 1990 to 35.9 per
1,000 in 2005
Percentage of live births that the mother
smoked during pregnancy decreased from
20.6% in 1990 to 12.1% in 2005
– Of pregnant women covered by Medicaid,
approximately 20% smoke during pregnancy

Percentage of live births that prenatal care
began after 1st trimester (or no care)
declined from 24.5% to 16.4%
Vision for Improving Care
to Pregnant Women



Optimize health of woman prior to,
during, and after pregnancy
Optimize pregnancy intendedness and
spacing
Identify and educate women at risk for
preterm delivery prior to subsequent
pregnancy
Preconception Initiatives…
Family Planning Waiver
Waiver Year One





26, 039 female enrollees;
5,560 male enrollees
189 tubal ligations and 27
vasectomies performed
During Waiver Year One
4,507 women used
continuous “highly
effective” birth control
methods
876 unintended
pregnancies were
averted due to the
program
Medicaid saved $9,505,557
during the first Waiver Year
Waiver Year Two Preliminary
Figures




41,520 female enrollees;
7,873 male enrollees
260 tubal ligations and 54
vasectomies performed
Between 1435-1652
unintended pregnancies
were averted due to the
program
Medicaid saved between
$14,285,125-$17,073,493
during the second Waiver Year
Medicaid for Pregnant
Women
(MPW)


Medicaid coverage for women up to 185% of FPL
during pregnancy and 60 days post-partum.
Limited to services related to the pregnancy or for
treatment of illness or injury trauma that in the
physician’s judgment may complicate the
pregnancy. This includes:
– Conditions related to the pregnancy,
– Pre-existing conditions, and/or
– New pathological conditions that may adversely
affect the best possible outcome from the
pregnancy
North Carolina Baby Love
Program

Program services include:
–
–
–
–
–
–
Maternity Care Coordination
Childbirth Education
Maternal Care Skilled Nurse Home Visits
Maternal Outreach Worker Services
Health and Behavior Intervention
Home Visit for Postnatal Assessment and Followup Care
– Home Visit for Newborn Care and Assessment
Maternity Care
Coordination



Staffed by nurses, social workers, and
paraprofessionals
Provides formal case management services
to eligible women during and after
pregnancy and intervention as early in
pregnancy as possible to promote a healthy
pregnancy and positive birth outcomes
Referrals to community resources (housing,
transportation, child care, etc.)
Transitions to
Interconception Care


Refer to DSS to determine eligibility for
transition from MPW to FPW
Education about folic acid, smoking, and
risks for preterm birth, 17P for future
pregnancies for qualified women
– Particularly important opportunity for women
who had preterm delivery during current or
previous pregnancies

Refer patient to safety net providers
http://www.ncdhhs.gov/dma/MFPW/SafetyNetProvi
ders.pdf
17P
(17 Hydroxyprogesterone
Caproate)



In 2006, NC General Assembly
appropriated $150,000 to make 17P
available for uninsured women
(funded for a 2nd year in 2007
session).
Medicaid began coverage of 17P in
April 2007.
Challenges and barriers to access still
exist due to status as a non-rebateable
drug.
How Does North Carolina
Medicaid Cover 17P?



Covered by NC Medicaid Physicians
Drug Program for recipients who meet
clinical criteria
Since it is not commercially available,
it must be compounded by a
pharmacy provider
Billed with HCPCS procedure code
J3490 (unclassified drugs) and a copy
of the invoice
17P


Providers are reimbursed for the
medication ($20/dose) as well as the
injection
The Physician Drug Program requires
that the drug be administered in a
physician’s office; therefore, recipients
must make weekly visits to office
rather than self-injecting
17P


The physician can write a prescription
for the recipient to have filled at the
pharmacy for home administration
However
– Pharmacists can only bill for the
ingredient in a compound with a
rebateable NDC (for 17P, that is just a
few cents per dose) plus a dispensing fee
of about $5
– Only one rebateable vendor for 17P
DMA Updates

CMS is considering limiting services
provided by states for targeted case
management
– Could impact Maternity Care Coordination
resources
– Potential impact on services provided by
POETs/NOETs

http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MedicaidGenInfo/Downloa
ds/CMS2237IFC.pdf
Essure



System modifications are currently
being programmed
Expected implementation date 3/28/08
Providers will be notified in Medicaid
Bulletin
Websites





http://www.dhhs.state.nc.us/dma/
http://www.dhhs.state.nc.us/dma/mp/mpindex.htm
http://www.dhhs.state.nc.us/dma/babylove.html
www.mombaby.org
http://www.ncdhhs.gov/dma/MFPW/SafetyNetProvi
ders.pdf
Questions