The Indiana Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) Thursday submitted an amendment to its pending Healthy Indiana Plan (HIP) waiver extension application to the US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). FSSA finalized the amendment, originally introduced in May, after considering public comments submitted to the state and CMS.

FSSA says the amendment would allow Indiana to further tailor its program to support Hoosiers’ health needs in the following ways:

*   Expands treatment options to Hoosiers afflicted by Indiana’s drug epidemic
*   Enhances HIP’s existing Gateway to Work program to help transition eligible members to meaningful employment
*   Eases existing administrative burdens on the program

Indiana’s final transmittal packet and other information about the state’s proposal to extend the Healthy Indiana Plan for three years are available at www.in.gov/fssa/hip/2557.htm

Some critics had complained the state had not sought sufficient public input before submitting its waiver request.