Issued: May 22, 2026
Vaya Health and Partners Health Management have announced plans to merge and form Vaya Partners, effective Oct. 1, 2026. This merger of two LME/MCOs reflects a shared commitment to strengthening North Carolina’s public system of integrated healthcare for individuals receiving behavioral health, intellectual and developmental disability (I/DD), and traumatic brain injury services (TBI).
Vaya and Partners are planning this transition carefully, with a strong focus on minimizing disruption to providers, members, families, counties, and communities.
What is happening?
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.
Why is this happening?
Providers are operating in a healthcare environment that continues to become more complex.
- Medicaid transformation, Tailored Plan implementation, changing regulatory expectations, workforce pressures, administrative requirements, and financial pressures all affect the public system and the provider community.
- Vaya and Partners believe that coming together creates a stronger platform to support long term stability, improve operational capacity, strengthen advocacy, and better position the public system for the future.
What do providers need to know?
- Provider stability is a core priority.
- The merger brings together complementary capabilities and shared values, strengthening a unified commitment to members, providers, and communities.
- It will create a more balanced and sustainable regional model that supports the long-term viability of North Carolina’s public behavioral health system.
- Until Oct. 1, 2026, providers should continue working with Vaya and Partners through their current processes unless they receive specific instructions to do otherwise. Existing billing processes, authorization processes, claims workflows, contracting contacts, network contacts, and escalation channels remain in place until formal guidance is issued.
- Vaya and Partners are reviewing both organizations’ provider portal platforms and related systems to determine the best approach for the combined organization.
- The provider network is being reviewed carefully in an effort to combine networks in a way that supports member access, provider stability, and continuity of care. Additional information will be provided as network planning progresses.
- The combined organization will include governance representation from both legacy organizations. The Board structure includes a nonvoting Provider Advisory Council representative, and provider input will remain important as transition planning continues.
- Vaya Partners will be led by a combined executive leadership team:
- Tracy Hayes, current Area Director and Chief Executive Officer of Vaya Health, will serve as Area Director and Chief Executive Officer of Vaya Partners.
- Libby McCraw, current Chief Executive Officer of Partners Health Management, will serve as Senior Deputy CEO.
- Rachel Porter, current Deputy CEO of Partners Health Management, will serve as Deputy CEO.
- Vaya Partners will serve 47 counties across North Carolina, creating North Carolina’s largest LME/MCO dedicated to integrated, whole-person care for North Carolinians with complex needs related to mental health, substance use disorders, I/DD and TBI.
What do providers need to do now?
- Providers should continue working with Vaya and Partners through the same processes as they do now. Providers should:
- Continue submitting claims to the appropriate organization based on current member assignment and current billing instructions.
- Continue following current authorization requirements and submission processes.
- Continue using existing portals and current contacts until they receive clear instructions about any future changes.
- Monitor official communications from Vaya and Partners for future updates, timelines, training opportunities, and operational guidance.
Who can providers contact if they have questions?
- Providers can email BetterTogether@PartnersBHM.org if they have questions about the merger.
- Prior to Oct. 1, providers may also go to the current Vaya and Partners’ websites for more information. Each organization will have a banner to provide ongoing merger updates, including FAQs, visuals and timelines.