Illinois Deputy Gov. Sol Flores discussed the state’s 1115 Healthcare Transformation Waiver at the 2023 Illinois State of Reform Health Policy Conference. The state applied for an extension of the waiver in May, looking to take advantage of new Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services policy flexibilities to address health-related social needs through Medicaid.
The waiver aims to improve health equity, improve access to care, and promote whole-person care. It incorporates opportunities for housing support for homeless people, and extends community integration services for justice-involved adults and youths for up to 90 days before their release from incarceration.
Flores said the work associated with the waiver represents the reality of how healthcare gets delivered, how the state follows its patients, how thinking is framed around equities in communities, and how it serves some of the most vulnerable people.
“We want to truly think about healthcare transformation, and how we can incentivize and motivate sometimes not-natural partners to come to the table to think about a whole-centered approach. And we’ve got some fantastic collaborations happening on the south side of Chicago, the west side of Chicago, [and] metro east, and we’re really excited about seeing the fruit of this.”