Health Insurance Flexibility and Accountability (HIFA)
Demonstration Initiative
Introduction
The Administration invites States to participate in the Health
Insurance Flexibility and Accountability (HIFA) demonstration
initiative, a newly developed Medicaid and State Children's Health
Insurance Program (SCHIP) section 1115 waiver approach. The primary
goal of the HIFA demonstration initiative is to encourage new
comprehensive state approaches that will increase the number of
individuals with health insurance coverage within current-level
Medicaid and SCHIP resources. The Administration puts a particular
emphasis on broad statewide approaches that maximize private health
insurance coverage options and target Medicaid and SCHIP resources to
populations with income below 200 percent of the Federal poverty level
(FPL).
This guidance provides the general parameters for HIFA demonstration
projects. Within these parameters, States will be provided flexibility
to determine their own approaches in exchange for demonstrating
increased health insurance coverage in the State. States will be asked
to systematically track the impact of their HIFA demonstration on the
uninsured rate for individuals with incomes under 200 percent of the
FPL.
Through the HIFA demonstration project, we hope to work with States
to:
-
Encourage innovation to improve how Medicaid and SCHIP funds are
used to increase health insurance coverage for low-income
individuals.
-
Give States the programmatic flexibility required to support
approaches that increase private health insurance coverage options.
-
Simplify the waiver application process by providing clear guidance
and data templates.
-
Increase accountability in the State and federal partnership by
ensuring that Medicaid and SCHIP funds are effectively being used
to increase health insurance coverage, including substantially more
private health insurance coverage options.
-
Give priority review to State proposals that meet the general
guidelines of the HIFA demonstration project outlined below.
Guidelines for States
Interested in Applying for a HIFA Demonstration
Inquiries:
Send inquiries to the HIFA information clearinghouse at: HIFA@cms.hhs.gov
Last Modified on Thursday, September 16, 2004
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