Evaluating the New Jersey Comprehensive Medicaid Waiver Demonstration

The Center is evaluating New Jersey's Comprehensive Waiver Demonstration that introduces several policy changes to the state Medicaid program aimed at improving access to care, quality of care and health outcomes. The evaluation is examining the effect of these policy changes that include: 1) expansion of managed care to include additional services including long term services and supports; 2) provision of additional services to Medicaid/CHIP beneficiaries with serious emotional disturbance, autism spectrum disorder, and intellectual/developmental disabilities; 3) administrative changes relating to long term care eligibility to ease the burden of obtaining community benefits and institutional placement; and 4) transitioning the previously existing Hospital Relief Subsidy Fund to a pay-for-performance (and reporting) system aimed at improving access and care for individuals, improving population health, and lowering costs through such improvements. The evaluation design utilizes both quantitative and qualitative techniques that include analysis of Medicaid fee-for-service claims and managed care encounter data, stakeholder interviews, and Web surveys.