This week the NCMS received notice that the requirement for physician assistants (PAs) and nurse practitioners (NPs) to direct enroll in Medicaid has been delayed. The deadline is no longer June 30, 2012. No new deadline has been established. Medicaid announced the delay in their June Bulletin, released today, which states that DMA “needs to address administrative procedures and to allow more time to do outreach to affected provider communities.”
Three weeks ago, the NCMS and the North Carolina Academy of Physician Assistants (NCAPA) submitted a petition to the Department of Health and Human Services, taking the position that DMA may not require enrollment of PAs and NPs until a rule is adopted pursuant to the state’s Administrative Procedure Act. The petition was put forward after DMA continued to indicate, month-after-month, that it could implement these requirements unilaterally and without providing clear guidance to medical practices. An official response from DHHS is due next week.
The NCMS will continue to work with DMA to ensure that the proper measures are taken before enrollment is required for these non-physician professionals. Refer to upcoming NCMS Bulletin issues for updates.
Related NCMS Bulletin articles:
They Just Aren’t Getting It: Medicaid Again Announces Enrollment Deadline for PAs and NPs (5-5-12)
Update on Medicaid’s Move to Require Direct Enrollment of PAs (3-2-12)
Physician Assistant Medicaid Enrollment Update (11-4-11)
Physician Assistants, Hold Your Medicaid Enrollment Applications! (10-7-11)
DMA Announces Requirement To Direct Enroll PAs and NPs (9-16-11)
