I have often said that the best action that CMS can take to support state innovation is to get out of the way. We’ve heard loud and clear that states want room to explore new ways of delivering care and designing programs to help their Medicaid beneficiaries live healthier, more independent lives.

Today we are taking a major step toward empowering states to address the problems caused by the ACA by issuing new guidance giving them broader flexibility to waive ACA regulations through State Relief and Empowerment Waivers.

Between 2013 and 2016, Federal spending on Medicaid grew by over $100 billion. The program is often the first or second largest line item in state budgets. Just recently, CMS’ independent Office of the Actuary released their Medicaid financial report, confirming what we have already known for quite some time – that our healthcare spending, particularly in Medicaid – is forecast to continue growing, averaging 5.7% annually over the next 10 years to reach over $1 trillion by 2026.

As healthcare costs go up, we must make healthcare more efficient. Significant advancements in biomedicine are changing healthcare delivery for the better. New and innovative technologies can help increase efficiency by promoting cost-effective care and improving outcomes.