ACS CAN continues to advocate for increased access to the full spectrum of care for our nation’s most vulnerable and medically underserved populations through Medicaid expansion efforts.
An estimated 2.2 million low-income adults who would benefit from Medicaid if their state expanded coverage are now in the “coverage gap,” uninsured and unable to qualify for affordable health insurance. Congress must extend quality, affordable coverage to people who need it by closing the Medicaid coverage gap.
An increasing number of states are seeking greater flexibility in administering their Medicaid programs. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) give states the opportunity to test innovative or alternative approaches to providing health care coverage to their Medicaid populations through Section 1115 Research and Demonstration Waivers (otherwise known as "1115 waivers"). States must demonstrate that their waivers promote the objectives of the Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Programs (CHIP) and CMS must use general criteria to determine whether the objectives of the Medicaid/CHIP programs are met.
