| The way the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services evaluates and approves state innovation waivers under the Affordable Care Act will change dramatically under a revised guidance document released Monday.  | The ACA requires states to enact a law to authorize implementation of a Section 1332 waiver, but the new guidance expands the authority for governors to sign off on their state's behalf.
| | The guidance defines "coverage" more loosely, incorporating skimpier plans, such as short-term limited-duration options and association health plans, into the definition.
| | The materials released with the new guidance include several references to preexisting condition protections, saying the states will have greater flexibility to offer such protections. |
These waivers have been used several times this year to authorize state-run reinsurance programs, but the Trump administration said its new direction will restore flexibility for the states as originally intended by the law. Read the full story... | 
