On September 30, 2026, New York submitted a five-year renewal request for its Medicaid section 1115(a) demonstration entitled "Medicaid Redesign Team" (MRT). The state wants to continue some components largely unchanged, including its managed care delivery system, CORE program behavioral health services, residential and inpatient treatment for individuals with substance use disorder, HCBS Expansion Populations, and limited use of Designated State Health Programs (DSHP) funding. New York proposes to exercise time-limited close-out expenditure authority for workforce initiatives, make minor refinements to Health-Related Social Needs (HRSN) services, and continue limited expenditure authority for the HERO program. The state proposes discontinuing initiatives such as HRSN infrastructure funding, the Self-Direction Pilot, and any BH HCBS services that have not transitioned to CORE. The federal public comment period will be open from October 15, 2026 through November 14, 2026.
