Federal Comment Letter on “Georgia Pathways to Coverage” 1115 Waiver

Families USA submitted this letter in response to CMS’s request for comments on Georgia’s proposal for a new section 1115 waiver to create a new Medicaid eligibility group and add a number of provisions that will limit coverage and access to care for beneficiaries in that eligibility group. Georgia is requesting enhanced federal funding to partially expand Medicaid up to the poverty line. The state is also requesting that new beneficiaries in this eligibility group be subject to work reporting requirements, premiums and cost-sharing, a limited benefits package, and other barriers to coverage.

Given that Georgia’s 1115 waiver proposal includes multiple elements that are both legally problematic and poor policy choices for the state, we encourage the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to deny the request in its entirety and instead work with the state to fully expand its Medicaid program in a way that maximizes federal funding and does not violate Medicaid statute. Click the “download” button below to read our full comment.