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SCOTUS skeptical that state abortion bans conflict with federal health care law; Iowa advocates for immigrants push back on Texas-style deportation bill; new hearings, same arguments on both sides for ND pipeline project; clean-air activists to hold "die-in" Friday at LA City Hall.

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"Squad" member Summer Lee wins her primary with a pro-peace platform, Biden signs huge foreign aid bills including support for Ukraine and Israel, and the Arizona House repeals an abortion ban as California moves to welcome Arizona doctors.

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The urban-rural death divide is widening for working-age Americans, many home internet connections established for rural students during COVID have been broken, and a new federal rule aims to put the "public" back in public lands.

NC Medicaid Reform Could Threaten Help for Pregnant Moms

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Wednesday, September 2, 2015   

RALEIGH, N.C. - Of the babies born every year in North Carolina, the prenatal care and delivery of more than half of them are covered by Medicaid. It's not always easy for pregnant moms to navigate the Medicaid coverage system, and for more than four years, Community Care of North Carolina has been working to make sure they have access to care.

Kate Berrien, a pregnancy home project coordinator for the organization, said their program is having a big effect.

"We're really proud that, through that partnership, that we have had an impact on the rate of low birthweight in our state," she said. "Really, our focus is preventing the number of preterm births and improving the number of deliveries that occur with a normal birthweight."

The program was launched in April 2011. The outcome of current negotiations around Medicaid reform taking place in the State House and Senate could impact the future of the program, with some lawmakers talking about ending the state's contract with CCNC. Instead, some lawmakers are proposing the state award the contract to three large managed-care insurance companies.

Berrien said much of her program's success has had to do with encouraging communication among providers.

"A lot of our work focuses on engaging the provider community across the state, and Medicaid moms receive care in all types of settings," she said. "So our goal is to bring all those types of providers together to ensure that a pregnant Medicaid patient is receiving certain quality standards as part of her care."

According to a recent report by the state auditor, CCNC saves state taxpayers' money at the rate of $3 saved for every $1 spent. The report is online at ncauditor.net.


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