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New Directions for Medicaid Section 1115 Waivers: Policy Implications of Recent Waiver Activity Seventeen states have had comprehensive Section 1115 waivers approved since January 2001. This brief provides an overview of this recent waiver activity and reviews the implications for coverage and access to care. Policy Brief (.pdf)
This fact sheet provides a brief introduction to Section 1115 waivers in the Medicaid program and highlights policy issues related to recent waiver activity. Fact Sheet (.pdf)
The Impact of Medicaid Reductions in Oregon: Focus Group Insights Oregon is one state that has significantly restructured its Medicaid program, known as the Oregon Health Plan (OHP), in response to budget pressures. As part of these changes, it has implemented significant benefit reductions and increased premiums and cost sharing in it’s program for poor parents and other adults. This report presents findings from five focus groups conducted of current and former enrollees in Oregon’s…
This new fact sheet summarizes Tennessee's proposed waiver amendment to its TennCare program, which was submitted to the federal government in September 2004.
Tennessee's New "Medically Necessary" Standard: Uncovering the Insured? This policy brief describes a new standard passed by Tennessee’s legislature for determining whether an item or service is “medically necessary” under the state’s Medicaid program, TennCare. The brief concludes with some questions regarding the implications of the new standard for the populations that Medicaid covers nationally, especially low-income children under age 21, individuals with disabilities, and the elderly, as well as the providers who treat them.…
Federal Medicaid Waiver Financing: Issues for California This issue brief focuses on the potential fiscal implications of a section 1115 Medicaid waiver for California. Report (.pdf)
Medicaid Waivers: Lessons from California, a roundtable discussion hosted by the Foundation and the University of California, Berkeley Center for Health and Public Policy Studies on Wednesday, July 28, 2004, provided an overview of current Section 1115 waiver activity across the states, focusing on Health Insurance Flexibility and Accountability (HIFA) Initiative waiver efforts. Findings from recent studies of waiver programs in other states such as Oregon, Utah, and New Hampshire were presented and discussed. Panelists…
The Impact of Recent Changes in Health Care Coverage for Low-Income People: A First Look at the Research Following Changes in Oregon's Medicaid Program Oregon recently restructured its Medicaid program through a Section 1115 waiver and other program changes, largely in response to particularly difficult state budget problems. This report summarizes key findings on the impact of Oregon's changes, based on work conducted by a research collaborative within the state. The experience in Oregon may…
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