Number of Medicaid Standard Plan Contracts.

SB 727 adjusts North Carolina's Medicaid program by reducing the maximum number of regional contracts awarded to provider-led groups (PLEs) from up to 12 to up to 4 per contract cycle. It maintains four statewide contracts for commercial health plans to cover Medicaid recipients across the state. The bill requires the state to award contracts based on provider responses to requests for proposals, ensuring coverage continuity if fewer than four providers meet requirements. This directly affects Medicaid recipients, commercial health insurers, and provider-led groups managing regional or statewide coverage.