With the opioid epidemic continuing, state interest in expanding access to substance use disorder (SUD) services remains high. Medicaid financed 21% of SUD services and 25% of mental health services in 2014. Section 1115 waivers related to behavioral health remain the most frequent type of waiver sought and obtained by states, with most requesting authority to use federal Medicaid funds for services provided in “institutions for mental disease” (IMDs). Since Medicaid’s inception, Congress has prohibited states from using Medicaid funds for IMD services for non-elderly adults. This brief provides new data and answers key questions about the Medicaid IMD payment exclusion as waiver activity continues, and Congress considers legislative changes, including a House bill that would restrict IMD SUD services to those with opioid use disorder, excluding those with other SUDs.

This resource tracks states with approved Section 1115 Medicaid waivers and pending waivers (which include new waiver applications, waiver amendments, and renewals). View approved and pending waivers according to waiver category. Related waiver resources are available by topic at the bottom of the page, as are additional details on each approved and pending waiver.

Among the 1.9 million nonelderly adults with opioid addiction, those with Medicaid were twice as likely as those with private insurance or no insurance to have received treatment in 2016, according to a new analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation. The role of Medicaid in combating the opioid epidemic has…

This issue brief provides an overview of Medicaid’s role in addressing the opioid epidemic. It includes information on the characteristics of nonelderly adults with opioid addiction and utilization of different types of treatment services among people with different insurance statuses, and provides an overview of treatment services that are covered by Medicaid. It also discusses the potential implications of the Section 1115 work and premium requirements on states’ ability to address the epidemic.

A new resource from the Kaiser Family Foundation enables users to keep abreast of Section 1115 Medicaid waivers that are pending or have been approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. KFF’s Medicaid waiver tracker includes interactive maps that allow users to view states’ approved and pending waivers…

To understand the needs and circumstances of vulnerable Texans affected by Hurricane Harvey, the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Episcopal Health Foundation partnered to conduct a survey of adults in 24 coastal Texas counties hard-hit by the storm, along with 5 focus groups in Houston and Beaumont. The survey finds residents’ top needs in recovering from the disaster focus on housing and financial issues, while some also struggle with access to health care and mental health issues resulting from the storm. Black and Hispanic residents and those with lower incomes are more likely to report being affected by Harvey-related property damage and employment issues. The survey also probes residents’ views on the local, state, and federal governments’ response to the storm, as well as the priorities they see for the rebuilding moving forward.

KFF/EHF Survey Examines Residents’ Experiences and Views in 24 Hard-Hit Counties across Texas Two-thirds (66%) of residents across 24 Texas counties report that they suffered property damage, employment disruptions and/or lost income due to Hurricane Harvey, finds a new Kaiser Family Foundation/Episcopal Health Foundation survey. One in nine residents in…

This fact sheet provides a description of nonelderly adults with mental illness and compares receipt of mental health services among nonelderly adults with Medicaid, private insurance, and no insurance.

This issue brief provides a snapshot of key public health challenges in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. It discusses topics such as mortality, food, water, sanitation, health care infrastructure, and mental health on the island in the wake of the storm.

State interest in Medicaid Section 1115 behavioral health waivers, including mental health and substance use disorders, remains high. As of November, 2017, there are 15 approved and 11 pending behavioral health waivers in 22 states. This issue brief describes recent waiver activity in four areas: using Medicaid funds to pay for substance use and/or mental health services in “institutions for mental disease” (IMDs), expanding community-based behavioral health benefits, expanding Medicaid eligibility to cover additional people with behavioral health needs, and financing delivery system reforms.