Confidential draft documents from the state's health care waiver negotiations show the state and federal government are millions of dollars apart in federal funding expectations for the state's health care subsidy program.
Known as the state wrap, the program seeks to fill in the gap between some of the higher subsidies that were available under Massachusetts health care reform in 2006, and the lower subsidies offered under the Affordable Care Act.
Yet documents show there is at least a $415 million gap in funding expectations between the two groups.
According to a budget request submitted to the federal government in September 2013, the state was asking for $611 million over a three-year period for the State Wrap program, or $1.1 billion over a five-year period.
Yet confidential documents obtained by the Boston Business Journal show that the federal government countered recently in October with $195.3 million over a three-year period, or $360.1 million over a five-year period.
Officials from MassHealth said the documents are no more than working drafts as the state seeks to settle a three- or five-year health care waiver.
'It doesn't reflect final determinations,' said Medicaid Director Kristin Thorn. 'I'm sure you can appreciate we go through a variety of iterations, and it's a draft working document.'
State health officials also said that the payment amounts represent the upper bound of possible total state and federal expenditures.
Though Thorn wouldn't speculate on possible contingency planning, she reiterated a commitment to ensuring continuity of the health insurance access.
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