Medicaid: Experience with State Waivers to Promote Cost Control and
Access to Care (Testimony, 03/23/95, GAO/T-HEHS-95-115).

Congress has begun reexamining the $131 billion Medicaid program--one of
the fastest growing components of both federal and state budgets.  In
1993, Medicaid cost nearly $100 billion more and served about 10 million
more low-income residents than it did a decade ago.  To contain
exploding costs and enrollment, many states are seeking greater
flexibility in implementing statewide Medicaid managed-care programs.
Currently, this flexibility is available only through the waiver
authority established by section 1115 of the Social Security Act.
Although many states have expressed interest in waivers, only four
states have waivers in place.  Two additional states have received
federal approval, but their plans still must be ratified by state
legislatures. States face significant challenges as they move from
traditional fee-for-service systems into managed care.  Specifically,
the emphasis that states put on program implementation and oversight may
affect whether states' managed-care programs successfully contain costs
while increasing access to quality health care.

--------------------------- Indexing Terms -----------------------------

 REPORTNUM:  T-HEHS-95-115
     TITLE:  Medicaid: Experience with State Waivers to Promote Cost 
             Control and Access to Care
      DATE:  03/23/95
   SUBJECT:  Medicaid programs
             State-administered programs
             Federal/state relations
             Waivers
             Health care cost control
             Agency proceedings
             Health maintenance organizations
             Health care services
IDENTIFIER:  Tennessee
             Oregon
             Hawaii
             Rhode Island
             
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