The COVID-19 pandemic presented North Carolina healthcare providers with an unprecedented public health challenge. CCNC and the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services want to support providers throughout this difficult time. On this webpage and the pages below, you will find a variety of information that we hope will support your efforts to address the pandemic. We will endeavor to keep this information up-to-date and address new challenges as they arise. If you have suggestions on additional content for this website, please let us know.
NC DHHS
The NC Department of Health and Human Services has released additional information as North Carolina prepares to begin distribution of COVID-19 vaccines. For general information from the state on the vaccine, click here (English / Spanish). For information on priority populations in NC, please see this infographic. For a list of frequently asked questions about the vaccine, click here.
COVID- 19 Vaccination 101 presentation - NEW and updated - downloadable PDF vaccination overview that includes links to tools, flyers and infographics explaining the process.
Use the Find My Vaccine Group tool to find out when you are eligible to get your vaccine. North Carolina’s updated phases include:
- Phase 1: Health care workers fighting COVID-19 & Long-Term Care staff and residents
- Phase 2: Adults 65 years or older
- Phase 3: Frontline essential workers
- Phase 4: Adults at high risk for exposure and increased risk of severe illness
- Phase 5: Everyone who wants a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccination
More detailed information is available at yourspotyourshot.nc.gov (also available in Spanish) and in the resources below:
- Infographic of Vaccine Phases (English / Spanish)
- Deeper Dive: Group 1 (English / Spanish)
- Deeper Dive: Group 2 (English / Spanish)
- Deeper Dive: Group 3 (English / Spanish)
- Deeper Dive: Group 4 (English)
INFORMATION ON DISPENSING COVID-19 VACCINES
- NCAHEC/CCNC Guide: NC COVID-19 Vaccination Plan Guide for Medical Practices - Updated - March 5, 2021
- NCDHHS Provider Guidance on COVID Vaccinations
- Provider letter on Vaccine Strategy and Process - January 26, 2021
- Interim Provider Guidance for Vaccinating North Carolinians - administrative guidance on vaccinating eligible North Carolinians - revised January 14, 2021; see highlighted sections for updates
- Summary of Interim Provider Guidance for Vaccinating North Carolinians - January 14, 2021
- Check out the FAQ to understand how COVID-19 Vaccine System (CVMS) works
- NC Immunization Branch - COVID-19 Vaccine Management System (CVMS) Training
- To dispense vaccine, you must register with CVMS and get system training
- 14 CVMS training sessions scheduled in January 2021 - see end of document for details
- CVMS Sign-in Troubleshooting Guide
- Searchable knowledgebase on vaccines and CVMS system
- Submit questions to CVMS Help Desk
- COVID-19 Vaccine Coding and Billing Tip Sheet - January 14, 2021
- COVID-19 ICD-10-CM Codes Hot Topics - NEW - March 1, 2021
INFORMATION ON FINDING VACCINE SUPPLY FOR YOUR PATIENTS
- Where to Find COVID-19 Vaccine in North Carolina
- NCDHHS Find My Vaccine Group site
- Phase 1A providers seeking to be vaccinated should contact their local health department or hospital system. If these organizations can't help you, send an email to CovidVAC@dhhs.nc.gov for assistance.
- Information on COVID-19 Approved Vaccines and Vaccine Candidates (including expected doses and storage requirements) – American Society of Health System Pharmacists
- Technical/clinical resources from federal and state authorities and health care organizations
- For information on Webinars covering COVID-19 Vaccination, please see the Provider Webinar section below.
Patient-facing Resources
- Presentation COVID-Vaccination 101 (English / Spanish)
- Frequently Asked Questions (English / Spanish) - updated January 22, 2021
- FAQs on Face Coverings
- What Are We Learning About Children and COVID-19 (Spanish)
- Video on vaccines, tools for understanding vaccine groups and resources for finding vaccine locations (Spanish)
- Videos on Vaccine Rollout
Still have questions about COVID-19 Vaccination?
Email CCNC Support! Email NCAHEC Support!
Community Care of North Carolina
- Medicaid Phase 1 Billing Changes Summary
- Medicaid Phase 2 WCV Billing Changes Summary
- NEW - COVID-19 ICD-10-CM Codes Hot Topics - NEW - February 15, 2021
NC DHHS
In order to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 to citizens and health care providers across North Carolina, the NC DHHS is implementing some important changes to Medicaid Billing policies. Please see the links below for their latest releases.
- NC Medicaid Telehealth Billing Code Summary - April 9
- Special COVID-19 Medicaid Bulletins - updated frequently
For information about Medicaid coding for telehealth and COVID-19, contact NC DHHS.
Community Care of North Carolina
- Troubleshooting Telehealth Issues - May 11
- Telehealth Program by DocsInk - Click here to create a telehealth account. Enter the code NCDEAL and your email address to get started. There is no charge to prescribing clinicians actively participating in the Medicaid’s Carolina Access Program, Community Care Physician Network, or the Pregnancy Medical Home program - April 6
- Telehealth FAQs for Clinicians & Practices - April 16
- OB Telehealth Resources for PMH Providers - April 20
- At Home Blood Pressure Monitoring for OB Providers and Primary Care Providers - April 20
NC DHHS
- COVID-19 Telehealth Resources for Providers
- North Carolina Payers Telehealth Policies in Response to COVID-19 (not limited to just Medicaid) - April 30
- Guidance on Billing Medicaid for Telehealth Visits - April 23
- Dr. Dowler's video: Why Using Telehealth Is Important During the COVID-19 Pandemic - April 16
- NC Medicaid Telehealth Billing Code Summary - April 28
- Two-page Summary of Telehealth Coding and Policy Changes - March 23
- Special Bulletin COVID-19 #66: Telehealth Clinical Policy Modifications – Well Child Visits
- Special Bulletin COVID-19 #34: Telehealth Clinical Policy Modifications – Definitions, Eligible Providers, Services and Codes
- Special Bulletin COVID-19 #35: Telehealth Clinical Policy Modifications – Enhanced Behavioral Services
- Special Bulletin COVID-19 #36: Telehealth Clinical Policy Modifications – Outpatient Specialized Therapies & Dental Services
- NEW - Special Bulletin COVID-19 #168: Vaccination Counseling Code Reimbursement - June 21, 2021 - NEW
CMS
American Academy of Family Physicians
- Using Telehealth to Care for Patients During the COVID-19 Pandemic
- Patient triage, scheduling, and rooming: Three ways to adapt your workflows for COVID-19
- Telehealth “virtual visit algorithm”: Coding guidance flowchart
Mid-Atlantic Telehealth Regional Consortium
- MATRC Website
- Webinar: "Telehealth Essentials Checklist Training" (45 mins)
- PDF: Telehealth Essentials Checklist: For Those Getting Started
American Academy of Pediatrics
Rural Health
AMA
AHEC
NC DHHS has published guidance on requesting PPE from the state. The link to this information can be found here.
The guidance states, “If after implementing and exhausting all conservation measures, your health care agency or facility is in critical need of PPE supplies, please go to the corresponding link below to detail those needs for PPE ONLY.
Since community based clinician practices do not fall under EMS, Skilled Nursing, or Hospital, the “other health care facility” link should be used.
The link to request healthcare consumable resources is here: COVID-19 North Carolina All Providers Healthcare Resource Request Form.
COVID-19 Testing
- NEW - Point of Care COVID-19 Testing: Guidance for Practicing Physicians - March 11, 2021 - NEW
- NEW - Waived and At-Home COVID-19 Testing: Guidance for Practicing Physicians - March 29, 2021 - NEW
- CDC Point of Care Guidance - October 15, 2020
- Special Bulletin COVID-19 #132: Laboratory Codes for Coronavirus (COVID-19) Testing - September 22, 2020
- NC Medicaid Will Cover COVID-19 Testing Costs for the Uninsured (Special Bulletin #122): Application available in English & Spanish
- Provider Guide to SARS-CoV-2 Testing - July 6
- Guidance on Antigen Testing - June 23
Provider Resources & Guidance
- NEW - DHHS press release on new Monoclonal Antibody sites in NC - September 17, 2021 - NEW
- NEW - Detailed information on Monoclonal Antibody Treatment - September 17, 2021 - NEW
- State Health Director Memo Extending Deadlines for Immunizations - August 11
- NC DHHS Immunization Branch Website
- Vaccine Hesitancy - May 4, 2021
- Vaccine Comparison - May 4, 2021
- Vaccine Advice During COVID-19
- CQN Improving Immunization Rates for Adolescents Survey
- COVID-19 Release for Return to Work/School/Daycare Guidance - July 6
- How to Safely Reopen Your Practice
- Guidance on Antigen Testing - June 23
- Updated Testing Guidance
- Memo on Testing Guidance - July 6
- COVID-19 Claims Reimbursement to Health Care Providers and Facilities for Testing and Treatment of the Uninsured - May 15
- Providers who have conducted COVID-19 testing or provided treatment for uninsured individuals with COVID-19 on or after February 4, 2020 can begin the process to file claims for reimbursement for testing and treating the uninsured
- What to Do if You NEED PPE - May 5
- Dr. Dowler's video: Why Using Telehealth Is Important During the COVID-19 Pandemic - April 16
- NC DHHS Coronavirus Provider Resource Page
- Home Care Isolation Guidance - March 8
- Isolation Guidance - March 8
- Visitor Log Sample - March 8
Patient Education
- NC DHHS Support Services for Testing and Contact Tracing - September 14, 2020
- Patient Guide to COVID-19 Testing - July 6, 2020
- "What to Do if You Feel Sick" 1-pager for Patients" - March 23, 2020
- Two-page COVID-19 Infographic for Patients - March 8, 2020
Provider Social Media Materials
- 3M's Spanish Resource for Patients - August 27
- AAP: Call Your Pediatrician
- HHS: Catch-Up to Get Ahead Toolkit
Community Care of North Carolina
- SARS-CoV-2 Testing FAQ - October 1, 2020
- At Home Blood Pressure Monitoring for OB Providers and Primary Care Providers - May 18
- Resources During COVID-19 for Providers and Practice Staff - April 20
CDC
- Medical Report - MMWR Report on Pregnant Women
Articles
Resources from Provider/Academic Organizations
The following are unofficial resources generated by provider organizations and academic organizations. Use at your own risk and contact regulatory authorities like NC DHHS or CDC if you have detailed questions. Note: The provision of services under these codes may require you to establish new workflows and clinical processes. Your local CCNC and AHEC staff are available to assist you in implementing these new processes.
- Testing for COVID-19: University of Washington Resource Site
- Testing for COVID-19: Commercial Carriers
- LabCorp Service Announcement - March 7, 2020
- LabCorp Coronavirus FAQ - March 8, 2020
- Options for sending COVID-19 Tests to LabCorp - March 16, 2020
Community Care of North Carolina
- Pharmacies Offering Home Delivery - April 7
NC DHHS
- NC Medicaid Provider Guidance
- NC Medicaid Outpatient Pharmacy Program Policy Changes - March 13, 2020
- Special NC DHHS Bulletin COVID-19 #25: Emergency Update to NC Medicaid and NC Health Choice Preferred Drug List (PDL) and REMS Program Flexibilities - March 27, 2020
Additional Resources
- CPESN Pharmacy Best Practices
- Information from the National Community Pharmacists Association
- NC Board of Pharmacy (check often for news and best practices)
- Survey: pharmacy or non-pharmacy personnel who would be willing to step in and assist short-staffed pharmacies
If you have questions related to pharmacy, please contact Patrick Brown.
Community Care of North Carolina
- CARES Financial Tip Sheet
- Check the webinar section of this site for the recent SBA presentations on small business resources
Federal Legislation on COVID-19
- Key Federal Funding Available for Health Care Providers and Hospitals to Address COVID-19
- Medical Group Management Association: Summary of Benefits to Healthcare Providers
- The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has issued this cheat sheet to help small businesses and self-employed individuals prepare to file for a loan (this information is constantly updated so please communicate directly with your accountants and banks for the latest).
- The Medicare Provider Relief Fund attestation portal is now available for all that have received the HHS CARES Act stimulus grant. In addition, the Terms and Conditions have been amended. Practices have 30 days to sign this after receiving the funds in their bank account.
Small Business Administration (SBA)
Businesses economically impacted by COVID-19 can apply to the SBA for low-interest federal disaster loans. Apply online here.
- SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loans offer up to $2 million for working capital to help support small businesses overcome temporary loss of revenue.
- These loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that can’t be paid because of the disaster’s impact. The interest rate is 3.75% for small businesses and 2.75% for non-profits.
- SBA offers long-term loans up to a maximum of 30 years. Terms are determined on a case-by-case basis, based upon each borrower’s ability to repay.
- Updates COVID-19 resources are available on the SBA site or call the SBA Customer Service Center at (800) 877-8339.
American Medical Association (AMA)
Webinars for Providers
NC DHHS/CCNC/AHEC Back Porch Chat Series
All webinars related to Medicaid Managed Care can be found on CCPN's Medicaid Transformation web page.
DHHS Office Hours/COVID-19 Vaccine Webinars
Join State Health Director Dr. Elizabeth Tilson and other leadership from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NC DHHS) for an update on new vaccines, status of distribution (including allocation, provider enrollment, and prioritization), communications resources, and the COVID-19 Vaccine Management System (CVMS). Speakers will respond to questions during a Q&A session.
Next Webinar: TBD
- May 25, 2021 - Optimizing Workflow While Integrating Telehealth and In-Person Visits and Simultaneously Fulfilling Board Practice Improvement Requirements: recording, transcript, slide deck
- April 27, 2021 - Navigating Ahead Webinar on COVID-19 Vaccinations: recording, transcript, slide deck
- March 2, 2021 - COVID-19 Update for Providers: recording, transcript, slide deck
- February 9, 2021 - COVID-19 Update for Providers: recording, slide deck
- January 26, 2021 - Tips and Tricks in COVID-19 Vaccine Administration: recording, transcript, slide deck
- January 5, 2021 - COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Plan Update: recording, transcript, slide deck
- December 22, 2020 - COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Plan: recording, transcript, slide deck
- December 15, 2020 - COVID-19 Vaccine: What North Carolina Practices Need to Know: recording, transcript, slide deck
NC Medicaid/CCNC/AHEC Health Care Professionals Webinar Series
Archive
- August 13, 2020: recording, transcript, slide deck (5.0 MB)
- July 9, 2020: recording, transcript, slide deck (3.2 MB)
- June 11, 2020: recording, transcript, slide deck (3.5 MB)
- May 21, 2020: recording, transcript, slide deck (2.1 MB)
- May 7, 2020: recording, transcript, slide deck (2.6 MB)
- April 30, 2020: recording, transcript, slide deck (2.5 MB)
- April 23, 2020: recording, transcript, slide deck (4.2 MB)
- April 16, 2020: recording, transcript, slide deck (1.5 MB)
- April 9, 2020: recording, transcript, slide deck (2 MB)
- April 2, 2020: recording, transcript, slide deck (1.7 MB)
- March 26, 2020: recording, transcript, slide deck (1.3 MB)
Navigating COVID-19 Series
In Partnership with CCNC, CCPN, NC AHEC, NCAFP, NCPeds, NCPA
Last Tuesday of every month
Next Webinar: Tuesday, May 25, 2021
6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Or dial 646-558-8656 using Webinar ID: 131 899 801
- May 18, 2021 (special date: vaccine presentation): recording, transcript, slide deck
- April 27, 2021: recording, transcript, slide deck
- October 27, 2020: recording, transcript, slide deck
- September 29, 2020: recording, transcript, slide deck (2.8 MB)
- August 25, 2020: recording, transcript, slide deck (1.0 MB)
- July 28, 2020: recording, transcript, slide deck (2.4 MB)
- June 30, 2020: recording, transcript, slide deck (2.1 MB)
- June 9, 2020: recording, transcript, slide deck (584 KB)
- May 26, 2020: recording; transcript, slide deck (2.5 MB)
- May 19, 2020: recording, transcript, slide deck (8.6 MB)
- May 12, 2020: recording, transcript, slide deck (3.0 MB)
- May 5, 2020: recording, transcript, slide deck (2.0 MB)
- April 28, 2020: recording, transcript, slide deck (2.7 MB)
- April 28, 2020: recording, transcript, slide deck (2.7 MB)
- April 21, 2020: recording, transcript, slide deck (1 MB)
- April 14, 2020: recording, transcript, slide deck (731 KB)
- April 7, 2020: recording, transcript, slide deck, CARES Financial Tip Sheet, First Citizens SBA PPP Packet
Friday Office Hours for Providers
Weekly Forum for Providers
Fridays from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
Or or dial 646-558-8656 using webinar ID 705-979-628
Send any questions to questionsCOVID19forum@gmail.com before 5 p.m. on the Wednesday preceding the webinar.
- November 6, 2020: recording, transcript, slide deck
- October 23, 2020: recording, transcript, slide deck
- August 14, 2020: recording, transcript, slide deck
- July 31, 2020: recording, transcript, slide deck
- July 17, 2020: recording, transcript, slide deck
American Academy of Family Physicians
COVID-19 Testing: Fundamentals & Application to Practice
- May 12, 2020: recording
NC AHEC and the Office of Rural Health (ORH)
Telehealth Virtual Office Hours Series
- May 18, 2020: recording, transcript, slide deck
- May 11, 2020: recording, transcript, slide deck
- May 4, 2020: recording, transcript, slide deck
- April 27, 2020: recording, transcript, slide deck
- April 20, 2020: recording, transcript, slide deck
- April 13, 2020: recording, transcript, slide deck
- April 6, 2020: recording, transcript, slide deck
- March 30, 2020: recording, transcript, slide deck
ORH Webinar
State Emergency Response Team PPE Process
- May 4, 2020: recording
CDC Webinar
Optimization Strategies for Healthcare Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
- March 25, 2020: recording, slide deck (579 KB)
NCGrowth Webinar
How to Apply for U.S. Small Business Administration Disaster Recovery Loans
- March 26, 2020: recording (YouTube), NCGrowth staff contact information
Important Sites for Keeping Up with General COVID-19 Developments
NC Department of Health and Human Services (NC DHHS)
- NC DHHS COVID-19 Updates
- Special COVID-19 Medicaid Bulletins
- COVID-19 North Carolina Dashboard (updated daily by 11 a.m.)
- COVID-19 Disease Response in North Carolina
- Coronavirus Information Tailored to Specific Audiences (businesses/employers, local health departments, mass transit, etc.)
- NEW - NC Medicaid Help Center - NEW
- The NC Medicaid Help Center was launched as an online source of information about Managed Care, COVID-19 and Medicaid and behavioral health services, and is also used to view answers to questions from the NC Medicaid Help Center mailbox, webinars and other sources. Formerly referenced as the “SWAT Command Center,” the NC Medicaid Help Center also includes resource documents such as standard and COVID-19 Medicaid Bulletins.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services