For more information on AcademyHealth's State Health Policy and Technical Assistance work, visit the AcademyHealth website.
Section 1115 Waiver - In September of 2005, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) approved
Vermont has chosen to accept a capped federal contribution, with a 9 percent inflationary trend adjustment, in exchange for increased program flexibility, the authority to alter pieces of the benefit package, increased participant cost sharing, and flexibility to implement new cost-control strategies. To implement the demonstration, the Office of Vermont Health Access (OVHA) [3] converted into a statewide public managed care organization and has the authority to use any additional funds to reduce the uninsured/underinsured rate; increase access to quality health care; support public health approaches to improve the health outcomes and the quality of life for Medicaid-eligible individuals in Vermont; and encourage the formation and maintenance of public-private partnerships in health care.
This waiver was amended in 2007 to include premium assistance for individuals without access to employer-sponsored insurance with incomes at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL).2
Dr. Dynasaur -
Links:
[1] http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MedicaidStWaivProgDemoPGI/MWDL/itemdetail.asp?filterType=data&filterValue=Vermont&filterByDID=2&sortByDID=2&sortOrder=ascending&itemID=CMS042551
[2] http://humanservices.vermont.gov/publications/state-of-vermont-global-commitment-to-health-waiver-program-summary#272,26,Documents & Information
[3] http://ovha.vermont.gov/
[4] http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MedicaidStWaivProgDemoPGI/MWDL/itemdetail.asp?filterType=data&filterValue=Vermont&filterByDID=2&sortByDID=2&sortOrder=ascending&itemID=CMS028357