Medicaid Waiver Demonstrations

New Jersey Comprehensive Medicaid Waiver Demonstration

New Jersey's Comprehensive Waiver Demonstration introduces several policy changes to the state Medicaid program aimed at improving access to and quality of care and health outcomes. The Center is evaluating the effect of these policy changes utilizing both quantitative and qualitative techniques that include analysis of Medicaid fee-for-service claims and managed care encounter data, stakeholder interviews, and surveys.

New Jersey Medicaid Accountable Care Organization (ACO) Demonstration Project

The New Jersey Medicaid Accountable Care Organization (ACO) Demonstration project, enacted in 2011 (NJ P.L. 2011, c.114), created a mechanism for provider coalitions to share in Medicaid savings they generate through care improvement initiatives in designated geographic areas with at least 5,000 beneficiaries. Regulations (46 NJR 5(1)) were finalized in May 2014 and the Demonstration began in July 2015 with three certified ACOs (Camden Coalition of Health Care Providers, Healthy Greater Newark ACO [now Greater Newark Health Care Coalition] and Trenton Health Team). 

In January 2020, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed into law a bill designating these ACOs as “Regional Health Hubs” alongside the Health Coalition of Passaic County. Learn more about the health hubs here. 

The 2011 legislation called for the Center for State Health Policy to support the implementation and evaluation of the Demonstration. To fulfill this mandate, the Center conducted in-depth analyses and program evaluations drawing on stakeholder interviews in addition to Medicaid claims and encounter data and other data sources.