The federal Medicaid program provides health insurance for nearly 70 million people and is a shared responsibility between states and the federal government. Federal law allows states to “waive” certain Medicaid eligibility requirements and cover care for people who might not otherwise be eligible for Medicaid. While there are several types of these “waivers,” this fact sheet focuses on 1115 waivers, which give states additional flexibility to design and improve their programs, and demonstrate and evaluate state-specific policy approaches to better serving Medicaid populations.
Many states use 1115 waivers to cover housing support services in supportive housing (aka tenancy supports) and medical respite care programs, which are especially critical for people with the experience of homelessness and the health care providers who depend on Medicaid reimbursements to deliver those services.
