Section 1115 demonstrations, also called “waivers,” allow states to test new ways to operate their Medicaid programs, typically for matters related to eligibility, benefits and care delivery. Recently, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) approved the renewal of and amendments to Section 1115 demonstrations for Arizona, Arkansas, Massachusetts and Oregon, all of which include innovative features.

The waivers in these four states focus on social drivers of health and continuous Medicaid enrollment as well as other features promoting access, equity and delivery system reform.

In a blog post for The Commonwealth Fund, Manatt Health outlines some of the significant features of the new waivers and explains how the approvals signal to other states the types of waiver policies CMS will allow.

To read the full blog post, click here.