NY Formally Requests $10B Federal Waiver

The state has submitted a request to the federal government to reinvest $10 billion of federal
savings from the state’s Medicaid Redesign Team (MRT) reforms to restructure New York’s
health care system. The state hopes to receive federal approval by March 31, 2013.
The request comes in the form of a proposed five-year extension to the existing Federal-State
Health Reform Partnership, a Medicaid Section 1115 waiver. State officials have estimated that
the federal government will save $17 billion from MRT reforms over the next five years. The
governor’s announcement indicates that the $10 billion in waiver funds would go towards
initiatives such as:

• Expanding supportive housing;
• Long term care transformation and managed care integration, including capital funding
for new ALP capacity and nursing home transition to managed care;
• Investments to transform and protect safety net facilities and home care agencies; and
• New care models, including partnerships between hospitals and nursing homes.

To access the 152-page waiver submission, click here. LeadingAge NY is closely analyzing the
proposal, and is pleased to see many of its recommendations reflected in the plan.
(August 7, 2012)