A new study recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association demonstrates that Medicaid beneficiaries enrolled in NC’s Healthy Opportunities Pilot (HOP) showed an overall decrease in Medicaid spending compared to non-HOP enrollees and reduced utilization of emergency services - all indicators that correlate to improved health outcomes.

In December, 2024, CMS approved a new 1115 waiver renewing funding and expansion opportunities for several programs, including the successful NC Healthy Opportunities Pilot, which uses Medicaid funds to provide social determinants of health interventions such as housing, food, transportation and other supports to Medicaid beneficiaries as a cost-savings measure to improve health outcomes and to prevent or manage chronic disease.