Rep. Rhyne files bill in North Carolina House on Medicaid care coordination

A new bill filed by State Rep. Heather H. Rhyne in the North Carolina House seeks to establish team-based care coordination within Medicaid for substance use disorder treatment, according to the North Carolina State House.

The bill, filed as HB 546 on March 26 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘Inmate Medicaid Suspension/Team-Based Care.’

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill mandates the development of a team-based care coordination service within the Medicaid program, focusing on the treatment of alcohol, opioid, and other mild to moderate substance use disorders. It requires the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), in collaboration with stakeholders, to implement services including screening, prescription medications, recovery support, and case management. DHHS must report details of these services to relevant committees by Oct. 1, 2025. Additionally, the bill modifies Medicaid to suspend rather than terminate coverage for inmates, aligning with federal requirements, and mandates a memorandum of understanding between DHHS and the Department of Adult Correction to facilitate data sharing. The bill becomes effective upon enactment.

Of the four sponsors of this bill, Allen Chesser proposed the most bills (28) during the 2025 regular session.

Bills in North Carolina follow a multi-step process before becoming law. A lawmaker starts by filing a bill, which is assigned to a committee for review. The bill must be read three times in each chamber. If one chamber changes the bill after the other passes it, both must agree on the final version. Once both chambers approve the same bill, it goes to the governor, who has 10 days (or 30 if the legislature is not in session) to sign, veto, or let it become law without a signature.

You can read more about the bills and other measures here.

Rhyne graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1998.

Rhyne, a Republican, was elected to the North Carolina State House in 2024 to represent the state’s 97th House district, replacing previous state representative Jason Saine.