Medicaid Waivers

Medicaid grants states autonomy in how they run their programs. Under a provision of the Social Security Act, Section 1115, the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) can waive federal guidelines on Medicaid to allow states to pilot and evaluate innovative approaches to serving beneficiaries. States seek 1115 waivers to test the effects of changes both in coverage and in how care is delivered to patients.