2003: Legislature Limits Waiver Programs
Recent Changes to Minnesota's Medicaid Waiver Programs
Shortly after the Medicaid Waiver enrollment surge of 2001, the state's budget situation deteriorated. To manage waiver expenditures during a time of tight resources, the 2003 Legislature discontinued new openings in the DD Waiver program, and the department changed its method for allocating DD Waiver funds.
The 2003 Legislature enacted changes limiting increases in enrollment and reducing spending for the Medicaid Home and Community-Based Waiver programs. The Legislature limited enrollment in the Community Alternatives for Disabled Individuals Waiver program to a maximum average caseload growth of 95 per month, and it capped the Traumatic Brain Injury Waiver program caseload growth at 150 per year of the biennium.
A rally against waiver limitsAnother change to the DD Waiver program prohibited allocating 300 diversion openings in each year of the 2004-05 biennium. The Legislature reduced county budgets to achieve a 1% reduction in DD Waiver program spending. In addition, legislators reduced provider payment rates 1% for the Elderly Waiver program, as well as 1% for the Community Alternative Care, Community Alternatives for Disabled Individuals, and Traumatic Brain Injury Waiver programs to achieve a 1% reduction in state waiver program spending.
*Laws of Minnesota (1Sp2003), ch. 14, art. 13C, sec. 2, subd. 9 (f).