North Carolina Medicaid director Dave Richard to retire

RALEIGH, N.C. — The official who oversaw the conversion of North Carolina’s Medicaid company to managed care will retire from state authorities on the finish of the month, the state well being division mentioned on Thursday.

Dave Richard, the deputy secretary for Medicaid for the final eight years, guided the $21 billion program via the overhaul that went dwell in July 2021. State Medicaid moved from a conventional fee-for-service mannequin to 1 during which supplier organizations obtain mounted month-to-month funds for each affected person seen and handled.

Richard joined the Division of Well being and Human Companies in 2013 as director of the Division of Psychological Well being, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse Companies. He beforehand served 24 years as govt director for The Arc of North Carolina.

“Few have performed extra to enhance the well being and well-being of North Carolinians,” the division mentioned in a written assertion. “Dave leaves North Carolina Medicaid secure and robust with a strong workforce of leaders to hold the torch.”

Medicaid enrollment has soared for the reason that pandemic to over 2.9 million. The anticipated finish of a pandemic-era prohibition on eradicating folks from the Medicaid rolls and requiring states to conduct annual eligibility verifications will scale back beneficiaries over the subsequent 12 months.

Richard’s retirement was first reported by Axios.