1115 Demonstration Evaluations
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) uses several waiver authorities, including the section 1115 demonstration waiver authority, to permit and support innovation in Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP.) These innovations concern service delivery, coverage of expansion populations and new types of service, and payment approaches intended to align financial incentives with program improvement goals. CMS conducts federal reviews to monitor implementation progress and conducts evaluations on a selection of these demonstrations to examine the impacts of these demonstrations on beneficiaries, providers, health plans, states, including on access, quality of care and costs.
In September 2014, CMS initiated a national, cross-state evaluation of several different types of Medicaid section 1115 demonstration waivers, (including an evaluation of managed long-term supports and services (MLTSS) that addresses programs beyond section 1115 demonstrations). This evaluation effort will be ongoing through federal fiscal year 2019. It will both track the general performance of the demonstrations of interest and evaluate demonstration impacts and outcomes. Results will be presented in a series of periodic rapid-cycle reports, as well as interim and final evaluation reports. The work will also include detailed assessments of data sources and state-led monitoring, evaluation, and diffusion or replication activities.
The national evaluation of these demonstrations focuses on four broad categories or types of demonstrations, and each demonstration type is being evaluated separately. Specifically, this evaluation focuses on demonstrations that
- Create delivery system reform incentive payment (DSRIP) programs,
- Provide Medicaid program sponsored premium assistance,
- Charge low income beneficiaries a premium/include strategies to engage beneficiaries in their care,
- Expand managed care to provide long term services and supports to people who are frail or disabled (MLTSS).
Prior Evaluation Efforts
CMS has sponsored other state-specific and cross-state evaluations, available below. More information about state sponsored evaluations is available in the Administrative Records of demonstrations on the Waiver and Demonstration List.
| Demonstration Project Name | Year |
|---|---|
| Evaluation of the Oregon Medicaid Reform Demonstration | 1995 |
| Evaluation of the BadgerCare Medicaid Demonstration | 2000 |
| Second Five-State Medicaid Reform Evaluation | 2004 |
| Medicaid Emergency Psychiatric Demonstration | 2011 |