On a related matter, the Trump administration, through the Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), has been placing a great deal of emphasis on state Medicaid waivers. In fact, CMS is actively promoting waivers and has provided guidance to states as to how to go about applying for them. We are working to ensure the federal Prudent Layperson Standard is not eroded through this process and that emergency medicine patients remain protected from predatory practices. Waivers will continue to be the topic of discussion now and for the foreseeable future by ACEP’s Board of Directors, the Federal Government Affairs Committee, the State Legislative/Regulatory Committee, and the Emergency Medicine Action Fund.

Dr. Norse is chair of ACEP’s Federal Government Affairs Committee, associate professor in the department of emergency medicine at the University of Florida College of Medicine–Jacksonville, and medical director of the Emergency Medicine Clinical Center.