For patients who are covered by Medicare it can sometimes be confusing to understand which vaccines are covered by Medicare Part B and which ones fall under Medicare Part D. 
Under preventive services Medicare Part B covers Hepatitis B, pneumonia, flu and COVID-19 vaccines. In addition, if the patient must receive a vaccine related to an injury this would be covered under part B. This could be a Tetanus or Rabies vaccine. Deductibles and coinsurance don’t apply for vaccines that are covered under Medicare part B.

Medicare part D, prescription drug plans cover any vaccines that are commercially available and are not covered by Medicare part B. Shingles, Tdap and RSV vaccines are currently covered under part D. Medicare part D may also cover vaccines that are needed for international travel or to prevent an illness for patients who meet certain high-risk criteria. For example, Hepatitis A vaccine could be covered by Medicare part D for a patient with a history of IV drug use.  As with Medicare part B a patient will not have a deductible or coinsurance for part D vaccines but could potentially incur a vaccine administration fee. Part D plans can fully reimburse this fee.

Here are some resources to help your patients understand what vaccines
are covered:
 

What Vaccines Does Medicare Part B and Part D Cover?

Vaccines and immunizations - Medicare Interactive
What Vaccines Are Covered by Medicare?

Measles cases continue to rise globally, in the United States, and here in North Carolina. First Case of Measles has been identified in North Carolina this year.  NC Department of Health and Human Services (NC DHHS) is working closely with county and local health departments to help with prompt recognition, reporting, and investigation to help to limit the spread.  In response, they have created an online Measles (Rubeola) Resources for Health Care Providers .  

The webpage has resources specific for prevention, identification, laboratory testing, and resources for your patients and clinical care teams. NC DHHS will continue to update the page routinely as information is available.

Your team is writing down the freezer and refrigerator temperatures every day, but do they know what to do when it is out of range? Fortunately, there are tools to help avoid compromising storage and handling of vaccines as well as other medications that are temperature sensitive.

Training is key – Logging and recording temperature is key but knowing when to act is crucial!

Are you using the correct type of thermometer? North Carolina Immunization Program (NCIP) participants are required to use a digital data logger thermometer. They provide information on products that meet the minimum required standard.
 
Do you have warning stickers DO NOT UNPLUG and outlet covers to help avoid accidentally unplugging the refrigerator and or freezer.

What is the next step when a temperature excursion is identified?
 
NCIP providers should immediately call 1-877-873-6247 to report an out-of-range temperature.  Other troubleshooting resources can be found on immunize.org. If you have had an excursion, it’s important to document the steps that were taken. The vaccine troubleshooting record can help guide you through the documentation.

For medications and vaccines many pharmaceutical companies offer tools to help determine next steps after a temperature excursion has been identified.
Merck Vaccine Temperature Stability Calculator
Temperature Stability Calculator | Pfizer Medical - US
Assessment of unforeseen temperature exposures of Lilly products
Novo Nordisk Live MI

Don’t give medications or vaccines that have been exposed to out-of-range temperatures until you have taken the necessary actions to ensure the product can be used.
 
For more information on storage and handling check these resources:
Vaccine Storage and Handling | Division of Public Health
Clinical Resources: Storage & Handling | Immunize.orgVaccine Storage and Handling | Vaccines & Immunizations | CDC

The Standard Plans (SP) have recently updated their PCP Change Forms. These forms are designed to be submitted when a member requests to change their Primary Care Provider (PCP), thereby facilitating the addition of the member to the provider’s panel.

In response to valuable feedback from providers, the forms have undergone a significant revision that allows PCPs to attest to verbal member consent in situations where a member's signature cannot be obtained. This change aims to streamline the process and accommodate circumstances where physical signatures may pose a challenge.

Below are the links to each SP’s updated form: 

• AmeriHealth Caritas NC
• Carolina Complete Health
• Healthy Blue NC
• United Healthcare
• WellCare

The South Piedmont AHEC Practice Support Team wants to make sure we are supporting your needs. If we have had a recent meeting with your practice, you may receive a survey from NC AHEC. Please take a few moments to respond. In addition to questions about your practice type, topics discussed and how satisfied you are with our service, you will also have a chance to provide other feedback. We want to know what we could do differently to support your practice, what suggestions you have for webinars and training materials and what your needs are from Medicaid. 
 
You are important to us, and we want to provide a service that meets your needs!
 
The survey will come from our statewide Practice Support Program Specialist, Tracey D’Addezio, and will look similar to the email below:  

Dear Practice Manager,
 
You are receiving this on an annual base after your 1:1 in person or virtual contact with one of our coaches. We would like to help your practice succeed with support from NC AHEC.
 
This short quick 5-minute survey is used to constantly improve NC AHEC and share your feedback with NC Medicaid.
 
Provider Survey Link
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me or your local area AHEC location.
 
Thank you so much for your valuable time,
Tracey
 

Tracey D'Addezio, MBA, PMP
Program Specialist

A new version of the AHEC Digital Library (ADL) was released on June 23, 2025. The URL for the library will remain the same, but access to the ADL will be through MyAHEC.  To sign up for a MyAHEC account, please go to https://www.ncahec.net/create-account .  

The new version of the AHEC Digital Library (ADL) will include an updated interface and search discovery service that will allow users to search across multiple databases and journals all at once.

Legal Aspects of Nursing Documentation: How Well Would Your Documentation Hold up in Court?
September 18, 2025 | 8 am– 3:30 pm
Live Webinar

This program is intended for RNs, LPNs, and any healthcare professional who performs patient documentation and will acquaint the learner with legal issues related to documentation in the practice of nursing.

Area L AHEC Practice Support is hosting an online self-paced module on Transitions of Care: Improving Patient Outcomes and Reducing Readmissions.
 
Register on the Area L AHEC web page .

The course is designed to provide primary care healthcare professionals with the essential knowledge and skills to effectively manage transitions of care. Successfully navigating these transitions - from hospital to home or other care settings - is vital for reducing readmission rates and enhancing overall patient outcomes.

Participants will explore the essential components involved in this process including workflow, documentation, and the roles of various team members. They will also learn how to provide strategies for implementing care transition processes into clinical practice with an emphasis on medication reconciliation.

There is no cost for the course. Providers and staff have 90 days from the date of enrollment to complete it. This course expires on June 30, 2026.