In Bloomberg Law, Brett Friedman Comments on CMS Policy Tightening State Medicaid Waivers

In a Bloomberg Law article, health care partner Brett Friedman, former New York State Department of Health Deputy Commissioner and State Medicaid Director, discussed federal guidance from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) tightening Medicaid waivers that allow states to pursue innovative health strategies.

CMS informed states it will take additional actions to ensure their Medicaid pilot programs, called Section 1115 waivers, are budget-neutral. Brett explained that CMS has historically allowed states to submit waivers with a bundle of services that, when analyzed holistically, generate net saving. The new policy instructs CMS to evaluate each program under a state’s waiver for its individual financial impact.