Are there different kinds of waivers?
A. Yes. Not all waivers are alike. Waivers are based on either Section 1115 or Section 1915 of the Social Security Act. There are several kinds of Section 1115 waivers. Some Section 1115 waivers are statewide, comprehensive demonstrations that affect the majority of people who receive Medicaid in that state. These include waivers that expand coverage to all state residents with incomes below a certain level. Other demonstration projects are more limited in scope. Examples of these include waivers that provide family planning services to low-income women who would not otherwise qualify for Medicaid or waivers that allow certain people with disabilities to manage their health care purchasing (Cash and Counseling waivers). In 2001, HHS announced the creation of a special kind of Section 1115 waiver called a “Health Insurance Flexibility and Accountability Initiative” (HIFA) waiver (see below for more about HIFA waivers). There are also Cash and Counseling waivers, family planning waivers,
