State gets 2-week extension of Medicaid waiver
By Kay Lazar, Globe Staff
The state was granted another two-week extension today of its Medicaid waiver to keep its pioneering health care law running as officials negotiate with federal regulators over renewing the program.
Federal funding was slated to expire June 30, but the state has received five previous extensions from the federal government.
At stake is roughly $11 billion in federal funds over three years that is used to help subsidize insurance for low-income residents. The state has provided subsidized health care to more than 245,000 residents under its two-year-old law, a higher number than anticipated, and that has stretched funds.
The waiver allows Massachusetts to provide health insurance to some residents with incomes higher than would typically be allowed under traditional Medicaid rules.
The latest extension means Massachusetts' program will be allowed to continue until at least Sept 22.
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Elizabeth Cooney covers health for the Worcester Telegram & Gazette. She
previously reported on business and was an editor at the paper. Earlier in
her career, she edited medical books and journals at Little, Brown, and
worked for Boston magazine.Boston Globe Health and Science staff:
- Karen Weintraub, Deputy Health and Science Editor
- Gideon Gil, Health and Science Editor
- Ishani Ganguli, Short White Coat blogger
- Joshua U. Klein, M.D., Short White Coat blogger
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