HHS Secretary Azar Praises Release of State Relief and Empowerment Waiver Concepts

On Thursday, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released four State Relief and Empowerment Waiver concepts that states can utilize, under Section 1332 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), to design new approaches to make healthcare coverage more affordable and accessible in their communities.

HHS Secretary Alex Azar issued the following statement regarding the waiver concepts:

“The Trump Administration is committed to empowering states to think creatively about how to secure quality, affordable healthcare choices for their citizens. Part of that commitment is providing guidance on how states can use the waiver authorities within the ACA to open up more state-based, consumer-directed, fiscally sustainable healthcare options. The specific examples laid out today show how state governments can work with HHS to create more choices and greater flexibility in their health insurance markets, helping to bring down costs and expand access to care.”

Read the CMS fact sheet on State Relief and Empowerment Waiver concepts: https://www.cms.gov/CCIIO/Programs-and-Initiatives/State-Innovation-Waivers/Downloads/Waiver-Concepts-Fact-Sheet.pdf - PDF