Webinars | Apr 20, 2015

1332 State Innovation Waivers: What’s Next for States

Manatt Health Solutions

Waivers available under Section 1332 of the Affordable Care Act offer potentially great flexibility to states in achieving the goals of the ACA through very different means than originally envisioned. They take effect as early as January 1, 2017, and require legislative authorization, substantial public engagement, and negotiation with the federal government.  Moreover, without grant dollars to fund the development process, unlike for the establishment of state-based exchanges, 1332 waiver proposals will present additional time and resource challenges for states.

For states interested in rolling out new waiver-based reforms in early 2017, now is the time to begin thinking through possible ideas.  The initial call of the State Network 1332 Waivers Affinity Group included a presentation from Manatt Health Solutions on the potential and limitations of these waivers.  This slide deck, presented by the team at Manatt, provides an overview of the basics of the waivers, including information on what can and cannot be waived and statutory guardrails, the process for obtaining a waiver, and possible opportunities for state innovation.


Expert Perspectives

October 11, 2024

CMS Offers New Details on Account Transfer 2.0

The Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services (CMCS) explained the transition to “Account Transfer 2.0” (AT 2.0) in a CMCS Informational Bulletin (CIB) released on October 10, 2024. The CIB indicates significant federal investment in improving the process of transferring consumer application information between state Medicaid and CHIP agencies and the Marketplace in the states using the federal platform. This expert perspective reviews the CIB and highlights opportunities for states to improve account transfer data under the CIB.

CMS Solicits Comments on Medicaid/CHIP Reporting Templates for Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Parity

On September 9, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a new collection of federal Medicaid and CHIP reporting templates designed to assist states in monitoring Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) compliance in Medicaid and CHIP. Informal public comment is requested by December 2, 2024. This expert perspective reviews the reporting templates to highlight considerations for states and support the formulation of comment submissions.

September 27, 2024

States Have New Flexibility to Add Adult Dental Care to Essential Health Benefits

On April 2, 2024, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services offered a new option for states to update their essential health benefits (EHB) benchmark plan to require coverage of routine adult dental benefits. While there are multiple drivers of inequities in oral health, a primary barrier to accessing dental services is the cost of care, a barrier that can be reduced with dental insurance. This expert perspective provides an overview of the newly available flexibility and discusses considerations for states weighing whether to add a requirement that plans subject to EHB cover routine adult dental care.