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  Practice Support Newsletter
  June 2026
National HIV Testing Day is June 27
June 27 has been designated as National HIV Testing Day. Screening and testing are vital steps in helping to diagnose HIV infections. In healthcare outpatient settings, it is important to screen patients for HIV because it can reduce transmission of the disease if detected, prevent disease progression, and improve the patient’s quality of life. 

Because of the stigmas associated with the disease, many people infected with HIV also experience food insecurity, homelessness, and unemployment issues. This can make it hard to maintain viral suppression and/or care for their HIV needs. The CDC notes that one’s risk of getting HIV can vary based on factors such as behavior and exposure. As such, testing and screening are important regardless of the risk. Guidelines for testing can be found on the CDC’s website .

According to the CDC and HIV.gov:
  • 2022: In the U.S. there were approximately 31,800 new HIV infections.
  • Nearly half (49%) of the new HIV infections in 2022 were in the South.
  • The largest number of HIV infections happened among people ages 25-34.
The NC HIV Care Dashboard and HIV Care Outcomes report the following North Carolina statistics for 2024: 
  • Approximately 45,314 people in NC were living with HIV/AIDS, including over 6,700 people who have undiagnosed HIV.
  • 1,123 men were newly diagnosed with HIV
  • 229 women were newly diagnosed with HIV
  • 75% of people newly diagnosed with HIV in NC were linked to care within one month
Healthcare providers are encouraged to be aware of your state’s testing laws, normalize testing/start the conversation with patients, and offer HIV screening as recommended by the guidelines. Additional HIV resources can be found at the links below: 
  • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – Getting Tested for HIV
  • HIV.gov – National HIV Testing Day
  • National HIV Surveillance System (NHSS)
  • The NC HIV Continuum of Care Dashboard
  • NC DHHS: HIV in North Carolina (2024)
  • America’s HIV Epidemic Analysis Dashboard (AHEAD)
  • HIV Public Health Partners – Guidelines and Recommendations

Measure of the Month: HIV Screening

Screening for HIV is a key preventative measure that can save lives through early detection. Although there was a decline in estimated HIV infections from 2018 – 2022, it is important to note that without treatment HIV can progress to AIDS within 10 years of infection.

The measure: The  HIV Screening measure looks at patients between the ages of 15-65 at the start of the measurement period with documentation showing they have received an HIV test at least once. The requirement is that the provider document in the medical record that a lab or point of care test was administered.

Numerator: Includes patients with documentation of an HIV test completed on or after their 15th birthday and before their 66th birthday

Denominator: includes all patients ages 15-65 without a diagnosis of HIV prior to the start of the measurement period and had at least one outpatient visit during the day of measurement period

Dominator Exceptions: Patients who expire on or before the day of the end of the measurement period

Denominator Exclusions: Patients diagnosed with HIV before the start of the measurement period

Upcoming Tailored Plan Merger: Vaya Health and Partners Health Management
On October 1, 2026, the tailored plans Vaya Health and Partners Health Management will merge to become Vaya Partners. The Partners Provider Knowledge Base noted “Vaya Health (Vaya) and Partners Health Management (Partners) are merging organizations to create a stronger, more sustainable organization focused on strengthening North Carolina’s public system of integrated healthcare.” People receiving services for behavioral health, traumatic brain injury (TBI) and intellectual and developmental delays (I/DD) will continue to be supported. Vaya Partners will be led by executives from both organizations and will serve 47 counties in North Carolina. 

What can providers do now?
•    Look out for communications regarding the merger (training, updates, etc.)
•    Continue to work with Partners and Vaya as you have before
•    Submit claims as you have before
•    Stay with the existing authorization and submission processes
•    Keep using the portal until other guidelines are posted

For more information, visit Vaya Health or the Partners Provider Knowledge Base.

Changes to the North Carolina Immunization Program (NCIP)
The North Carolina Immunization Program is moving to a new North Carolina Immunization Registry (NCIR) platform. The transition is expected to occur sometime this summer.  According to NC DHHS, the new NCIR will “enhance the technology health care partners rely on to share data, track vaccines, and make informed decisions.” All data exchange onboarding activities have been paused effective immediately. More information will be forthcoming as updates become available.
  • For more information regarding the NCIR transition, visit here.
  • Subscribe to NCIR Replacement communications here.
  • Review the NCIR Replacement Readiness Checklist to see what you can do to prepare for this transition.
  • Please reach out to the NCIR Data Exchange Help Desk with any questions/concerns at ncirdataexchange@dhhs.nc.gov.

Provider Update: Carolina Complete Health & Trillium Health Resources
Effective October 1, 2026, Trillium tailored plan will undergo some changes affecting all physical heath providers, including those providers contracted with Trillium through Carolina Complete Health (CCH).

Some of the changes associated with this new unified claim system:
  • All claims for Trillium Tailored Plan members must be submitted directly to Trillium through a unified claims platform. 
  • Providers will no longer submit claims to Carolina Complete Health for these members. 
  • Some physical health authorizations must be submitted to Trillium through the new unified claims system portal. Some authorizations for specialty services will continue to be sent to Carolina Complete Health or other partners. 
There are some exceptions to these changes related to claims. To learn more about claims, contracting and next steps as the transition approaches, visit Trillium’s Tailored Plan Claims Platform Migration.

Additional resources:
  • Stay in-the-know by signing up for Trillium’s network bulletins
  • Attend the Trillium Physical Health information session to be held on June 23, 2026, or July 28, 2026, to learn more about changes related to claims submission. Register here

NC Tracks: Prior Authorization Entry Updates
“For Prior Authorization (PA) requests submitted on or after June 14, 2026, enhanced decision information will be available in the PA inquiry results within the NC Tracks Provider Portal." Starting in July of 2026, NCDHHS will post a downloadable list of those services requiring prior authorization on their website here. 

For updates, availability and a crosswalk, visit the NC Tracks Provider Page.

Regulatory Reminder:
Professional Use of Social Media in Healthcare
The North Carolina Medical Board offers a variety of position statements to help providers navigate the complex healthcare landscape. One area of interest is the use of social media. Social media in healthcare can be beneficial; it can help to engage patients and provide a broad spectrum for information sharing, among other things. Downsides can include HIPAA violations, privacy and security concerns. 

“The Board recognizes that social media has increasing relevance to the Board’s licensees and supports its responsible use.  However, licensed health care professionals are held to a higher standard than others with respect to social media because health care professionals, unlike members of the lay public, are bound by ethical, legal, and professional obligations that extend beyond the exam room. 

The informality of social media sites may obscure the serious implications and long-term consequences of certain types of postings.”

To read the full position statement and additional considerations and implications for licensees and their online activity, visit the North Carolina Medical Board Professional Resources here and here.

Monitoring Outbreaks

There has been much talk in the media regarding outbreaks of hantavirus in certain areas. This is being closely monitored, and the NCDHHS notes that
“the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed one person from North Carolina was on board and evacuated with all remaining United States passengers to the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s National Quarantine Unit.” At this time, there are no cases of hantavirus in North Carolina and the risk of infection in the state remains low.

AHEC Class Spotlight

From Toxic to Transformative: 
From Ideals of Masculinity and Its Connection to Community Violence (Peace in Practice Learning Series)

“This facilitated session will examine the complex relationship between perceptions of masculinity and their influence on community violence. Utilizing an intersectional approach, the facilitator will lead participants through interactive activities and discussions designed to analyze how socialization processes and ideals of masculinity may contribute to violent behaviors. The session aims to foster a respectful, open environment for dialogue, encouraging participants to consider societal norms, cultural factors, and personal experiences that inform their understanding of masculinity and its connection to violence.” This session will be held at South Piedmont AHEC on June 30, 2026, from 10:00am – 2:00 pm. Visit here for registration and additional information. 

Popularity ≠ Proof:
The Dangerous Gap Between Transfusion
Trends and Clinical Data

Join Patient Blood Management experts (and legends) Dr. Aryeh Shander and Dr. Irwin Gross for a critical discussion on the gap between widely adopted transfusion practices and the clinical evidence supporting them. This session explores how trends can outpace data and how clinicians can responsibly adapt practices in the face of limited or evolving evidence. This event is online and will be held on June 23, 2026, from 7:30am – 9:00am. To find out more information or to register, click here.
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