Louisiana Reentry Demonstration Section 1115 Waiver Application, Louisiana Department of Health (2024)

The State of Louisiana submitted a Section 1115 Reentry Waiver application to The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) that includes a new request for pre-release medication coverage and the acknowledgment of the need for better stakeholder engagement.

“The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced a new reentry 1115 waiver opportunity through which states may receive federal matching funds for critical in-reach case management services, as well as an array of other Medicaid-covered services, prior to an individual’s release from incarceration. Importantly, these recent federal flexibilities now offer a chance for Louisiana’s Medicaid program to bridge the risk of coverage gap for individuals leaving a carceral setting and facilitate continuity of care during this critical transition period.”

The Center for Health Policy and Innovation (CHLPI) at Harvard Law School authored and CHLP, the National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable (NVHR), and the Capitol Area Reentry Program (CARPBR) provided input and signed onto public comments on the application that advocated for additional prescription coverage in the pre-release period and encouraged compensated feedback opportunities for community members and organizations.