The Working Committee on Waiver Development and Medi-Cal Expansion is a non-partisan group set up to probe how California can more effectively draw down federal dollars to help support expansion of healthcare coverage to more Californians.
Health reform plans proposed by California's leaders have raised the issue of what role the federal government will play in financing coverage expansion. To help address this crucial question, Blue Shield of California Foundation is sponsoring a committee of leading state and national healthcare experts to begin working on a new "global" Medi-Cal waiver, with considerable efforts aimed towards identifying existing funding for programs and services that could maximize the amount of federal dollars the state can receive. A "global" waiver would encompass all aspects of the existing Medi-Cal program, as well as leverage state savings to bring in additional federal dollars.
Recent Reports
Publication Date: March, 2008
A Roadmap to Coverage: Implementing a Childless Adult Medi-Cal Waiver in California
Harbage Counsulting
Although comprehensive health reform stalled in 2008, a childless adult Section 1115 waiver could still be a critical coverage expansion option for California. This summary report offers a roadmap to policymakers on the critical issues that must be addressed, as well as the trade-offs that will need to be made in order for a childless adult waiver to be implemented in California.
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Meeting Documents and Presentations
11/15/07 Working Committee Meeting
County Health Programs Review: What Service Do Counties Provide and Are There Additional Opportunities to Claim Federal Match? (PDF)
Beth Waldman, JD, MPH, Bailit Health Purchasing, LLC
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Other Publications Regarding Waivers
Questions and Answers about the 2005 Medi-Cal Hospital Waiver
California Healthcare Foundation
Examing the 2005 Medi-Cal Hospital Waiver
California Healthcare Foundation
Shaping Public Programs through Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Waivers: The Fundamentals
National Health Policy Forum
Medicaid in 2006: A Trip Down the Yellow Brick Road?
National Health Policy Forum
Medicaid and the Uninsured - Coverage Gains Under Recent Secion 1115 Waivers: A Data Update
The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation
Medicaid and the Uninsured - New Directions for the Medicaid Section 1115 Waivers: Policy Implications of Recent Waiver Activity
The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation
Medicaid and the Uninsured - Federal Medicaid Waiver Financing: Issues for California
The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation
Topics Planned for Future Meetings
Each committee meeting will generally have a primary and a secondary topic. The primary discussion will last about 90 minutes, while discussion of the secondary topic will last for 60 minutes. 30 minutes will be reserved for Committee Procedural issues. As we move through this process, it will be important to be nimble and be able to change direction as needed.
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