The Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (DRA) made the largest structural changes to the Medicaid program since its enactment. Although the principal goal of the DRA is to save money, it also creates opportunities for states to use new flexibility in Medicaid to improve care, expand access, and provide coverage to populations in need. In an ongoing project on making the most of Medicaid and the DRA, NASHP is engaging states in how they can best use Medicaid – under both longstanding and new options – to expand and improve health coverage. The goals of this project are to:
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Work intensively with state officials to develop and implement program and policy changes to increase Medicaid coverage for low income people and improve coverage for Medicaid enrollees.
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Inform and engage the health policy community – particularly state health policy makers – in structured, targeted forums for dialogue about opportunities for improving coverage and services made possible by Medicaid and the DRA.
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Provide substantive, analytical information to all state and federal policy makers about the limits and possibilities for state health reform.
This project is supported by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
