Medicaid Waiver Demonstrations in Florida & Vermont Not Budget Neutral & Basis For Spending Not Fully Documented

OPEN MINDS On-Line News The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) failed to adequately ensure that Medicaid 1115 waiver demonstrations in Florida and Vermont would be budget neutral and the basis for the approval of higher spending limits was not fully supported by documentation. DHHS policy states that the spending limits for 1115 waiver demonstrations are based on benchmark growth rates — the lower of the state’s historical spending growth or nationwide estimates of Medicaid growth. DHHS can allow states to deviate from the benchmarks if the states prove that using them would not provide accurate . . .