This week CMS continued its rapid response—average approval takes less than a week—to review and approve Social Security Act Section 1115(c) Appendix K and Section 1135 waivers to facilitate state Medicaid programs’ efforts to address the COVID-19 pandemic. CMS approved waiver applications from Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts,

Many states are looking to adapt their Medicaid programs to address new challenges related to COVID-19, including by increasing coverage and protection for Medicaid enrollees. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued guidance on the types of measures that states can take to change their Medicaid programs.

In an FAQ addressed to state Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program agencies, CMS addressed questions from states, saying that states may have flexibility to cover telehealth services, accelerate or relax prior authorization requirements, expand provider networks, extend Medicaid eligibility, and suspend copayments, although some of these measures may require CMS’ waiver of federal requirements or approval of changes to the state Medicaid plan.

On March 22, CMS released checklists and tools that guide Medicaid programs through the processes of seeking expedited approval of such changes and waivers, including section 1115 demonstration waivers, section 1135 waivers, Appendix K of section 1915(c) home and community-based services waivers, and disaster amendments to the state plan. In the associated press release, the Trump Administration indicated that the tools could be used by states to “access emergency administrative relief, make temporary modifications to Medicaid eligibility and benefit requirements, relax rules to ensure that individuals with disabilities and the elderly can be effectively served in their homes, and modify payment rules to support health care providers impacted by the outbreak.” CMS is providing states the options to request waivers effective retroactively to March 1.Continue Reading CMS & State Medicaid Agencies Seek to Expand Enrollee Protections During COVID-19 Pandemic

Alex Azar assumed office as HHS Secretary on January 29, 2018, and has hit the ground running.  Among discussions on stabilization bills (see blog post discussion here and how these proposals further the Administration’s efforts on Trump’s Inauguration Day Executive Order here), Secretary Azar has been a vocal advocate for, in his own terms, “state experimentation” under both the Medicaid and health insurance exchanges (“Exchanges”).

Secretary Azar has not provided detail as to what type of experimentation he would like to see from states, but in his remarks at HHS headquarters on Tuesday, February 20, he stated that he was working with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator, Seema Verma, to give states “a menu of options” to decrease the restrictions under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).  In particular, Secretary Azar noted that he was exploring ways to allow states greater flexibility through federal waivers.Continue Reading Will Secretary Azar Waive(r) Away the ACA?