Orange County NC Website
<br />OPC and Waiver Expansion <br />Frequently Asked Questions <br />1. Is OPC merging with another LME (Local Management Entity)? <br />OPC is currently talking to PBH about the possibility of joining them. <br />At their regularly scheduled meeting on April 14th the OPC Area Board <br />reviewed the Request for Application (RFA) that was recently released by <br />the Department of Health 8~ Human Services (DHHS) related to the <br />expansion of the 1915(b) (c) waiver. After extensive discussion the OPC <br />Board voted unanimously to move forward in negotiations with PBH and <br />to seek authorization from the Boards of Commissioners in Orange, Person <br />8~ Chatham counties to do so. <br />2. Who is PBH and why is OPC in discussions with them? <br />PBH is an LME (ike OPC. They currently operate a Medicaid waiver and <br />have asked us to partner with them. <br />PBH is a Local Management Entity (LME) like OPC which covers Cabarrus, <br />Davidson, Rowan, Stanly 8~ Union counties. In 2005 PBH was chosen to <br />operate a pilot project which allowed Medicaid funded services for <br />mental health, developmental disabilities and substance abuse treatment <br />to be provided on a capitation basis through a 1915(b)(c) combination <br />waiver. This pilot project has been successful and DHHS has made the <br />decision to move forward with statewide expansion of the 1915(b)(c) <br />waiver based on the model created by PBH. <br />In February 2010 OPC was approached by PBH about the possibility of <br />forming an alliance. With approval of the OPC Area Board negotiations <br />were initiated. In June 2010 legislation was passed which restricted PBH <br />from expanding their geographic region and limited the number of sites <br />for expansion of the Medicaid waiver. OPC's negotiations with PBH were <br />put on hold. Legislative support now exists for removal of the restrictions <br />on PBH, as well as expansion of the waiver. <br />3. Why would OPC want to merge? <br />5 <br />Under proposed legislation, OPC is currently not large enough to operate <br />as we currently exist. <br />