Federal government signs off on Maryland’s Medicaid 1115 waiver renewal

By Nordea Lewis

MARYLAND ( WDVM ) — The Maryland Department of Health announced that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has authorized a five-year renewal of the state’s Medicaid 1115 waiver, extending the HealthChoice program.

According to The federal Medicaid website :

“Section 1115 of the Social Security Act gives the Secretary of Health and Human Services authority to approve experimental, pilot, or demonstration projects that are found by the Secretary to be likely to assist in promoting the objectives of the Medicaid program.”

The state will receive federal funds to support activities that will closely combine the 1115 program with the Maryland Medicaid Administration’s aim for implementing cost-effective measures that increase access to health care and health for people with complex diseases and needs.

“The HealthChoice 1115 waiver has been critical to innovating the delivery of health care services to Maryland Medicaid participants since 1997,” said MDH Secretary Dennis R. Schrader. “We are pleased to continue to expand our partnership with the federal government to include initiatives vital to further improving health outcomes for Maryland’s most vulnerable residents.”

On Jan. 1, 2022, the waiver renewal took effect, the focus aims at continuing high-quality, cost-effective services and pilot projects created during the last waiver renewal period.