CMS News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 28, 2017

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CMS Approves First 10-Year Section 1115 Demonstration ExtensionMississippi is first state to receive 10-year Section 1115 program extension under new policy

Today, CMS approved for Mississippi the first ever 10-year extension under the Medicaid program demonstration extension to provide further coverage of family planning services in the state. This will extend eligibility for women and men ages 13 through 44, with income up to 194 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL) that are not enrolled in Medicaid, Medicare, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) or other creditable health insurance coverage that includes family planning services. Mississippi’s waiver will be the 25th demonstration action approved by CMS since January 21, 2017.

“This is the first ten-year demonstration extension in the history of CMS, and allows Mississippi to administer its Medicaid program without the inconvenience of obtaining routine approvals from CMS,” said CMS Administrator Seema Verma. "This action shows our continuing commitment to giving states the flexibility they deserve to meet the unique needs of their people."

CMS has instituted a series of improvements to reduce regulatory burdens, increase efficiency and promote transparency in the review and approval of Section 1115 demonstrations. In accordance with the new section 1115 policy released on November 6, 2017, Mississippi’s program meets all elements required for a 10-year approval.

Other changes made to the demonstration’s Special Terms and Conditions (STCs) for this approval also align with this Administration’s priority to assure adequate federal oversight and evaluation:

On an annual basis, the state will submit monitoring reports and participate in calls with CMS.
The state will have a new streamlined template for annual monitoring and reporting while ensuring that CMS receives the appropriate information for assessing demonstration outcomes.

"CMS has responded to state requests to reduce administrative burden," said CMCS Director and Deputy Administrator Brian Neale. “Mississippi's waiver shows the concrete steps we are taking to improve efficiency across the board and throughout the country."

In a March 14, 2017 letter to Governors, the Department of Health and Human Services and CMS announced a new commitment “to empower all states to advance the next wave of innovative solutions to Medicaid’s challenges – solutions that focus on improving quality, accessibility, and outcomes in the most cost-effective manner.”

For more information regarding the 10-year extension of the Mississippi Family Planning Demonstration, please click here.

For more information on the new Section 1115 process improvement please click here.