The State of Indiana announced that the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services have approved renewal of the Healthy Indiana Plan. News of the approval came Friday evening.

“This decision by the federal government to renew our current Healthy Indiana Plan is welcome news and will bring certainty to the more than 60,000 Hoosiers who currently enjoy the benefits of this proven health care program,” said Governor Mike Pence. “Since this marks the third time the Obama Administration has approved the Healthy Indiana Plan in its current form, we hope that this decision signals an openness by this Administration to move forward with approval of HIP 2.0, which is built on the same principles of personal responsibility and consumer choice.”

The state continues to await a decision by the federal government on covering 350,000 more uninsured Hoosiers through HIP 2.0, which was submitted for approval in July of 2014 and has been the subject of ongoing discussions between state and federal officials.

The consumer-driven health care program, first approved in 2007, has operated successfully for nearly seven years. HIP is available to adults who are under 100 percent of the federal poverty level who do not otherwise qualify for Medicaid. HIP served as the foundation for the development of HIP 2.0, which reforms traditional Medicaid and would be open to all non-disabled adults under 138 percent of the federal poverty level.

The letter of approval can be seen here.

Source: State of Indiana