As a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, AccessCare was designed to improve access to medical services, maintain quality of care, and reduce costs of care for its clients. Established in July 1998 as a member owned not-for-profit of 23 practices, AccessCare has grown to a statewide network of over 300 primary care practices with 1,000 providers caring for 200,000 Medicaid enrollees as of January 2007.   AccessCare is the largest of fourteen local networks of primary care providers that contract with North Carolina’s Department of Health and Human Services to develop disease management and case management initiatives and coordinate prevention, treatment and other services. This system of networks, coordinated by Community Care of North Carolina, enhances the Carolina ACCESS Medicaid program by developing physician-led community partnerships to improve care and reduce costs by connecting Medicaid enrollees with a medical home.

AccessCare is owned by its provider members who elect member physicians and other North Carolina health care leaders to serve on the organization’s Board of Directors.   AccessCare operates within a fee-for-service model with an enhanced case management fee.