The federal agency that administers the nation's major health care programs has approved an additional 11 state Medicaid waiver requests, bringing the total number of states with approved waivers to 13.

Louisiana is one of these states, meaning residents who are medicaid recipients will have an easier time accessing necessary medical therapies and procedures as the nation continues to wrestle with the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) issued a statement regarding its decision Tuesday morning, saying, in part, "The waivers were approved within days of states’ submitting them, and offer states new flexibilities to focus their resources on combatting the outbreak and providing the best possible care to Medicaid beneficiaries in their states." 

The waivers provide relief in numerous ways ranging from prior authorization and provider enrollment requirements to suspending certain nursing home preadmission reviews and facilitating reimbursement to providers for care delivered in alternative settings due to facility evacuations.

Other states approved for waivers include Alabama, Arizona, California, Illinois, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, and Virginia. 

CMS Administrator Seema Verma said regarding the approved waivers, “Thanks to the decisive leadership of President Trump during this emergency, CMS has been able to swiftly remove barriers and cut red tape for our state partners.” 

“These waivers give a broad range of states the regulatory relief and support they need to more quickly and effectively care for their most vulnerable citizens.”

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