Health Choice remains OPEN!

(4/05) --Word from the Governor's office and the Department of Health and Human Services is that there are no plans to freeze NC Health Choice enrollment this year. As of April 1, 2005, there were 127,629 children enrolled in NC Health Choice and that number continues to grow at an average rate of 1 % per month. Thank you for your continued efforts to enroll children!

Please continue to remind families of the importance of re-enrolling on time to avoid lapses in coverage. And make sure your colleagues in the community know we are open and enrolling new children. We continue to hear the rumors that NC Health Choice is closed or will close, but with the exception of the freeze in 2001, the program has remained open for new enrollees.

Please be aware that funding for NC Health Choice is currently being considered by the NC General Assembly which has also expressed no interest in freezing the program. Budget savers currently being considered include transferring the youngest children into Medicaid, or slight modifications in benefits. We will keep you posted on any program changes that become a reality. As of this writing, no consideration is being given to a frozen or capped program.