Paying for care
Home and community-based services (HCBS) waiver
A home and community-based services (HCBS) waiver is a Medicaid program that pays for care at home or in the community instead of in a nursing home. States design waivers within federal guidelines. Each waiver serves a target group and requires that the person need an institutional level of care.
Why it matters for your family
A waiver can pay for services such as case management, homemaker help, personal care, adult day health, and respite care. States choose how many people a waiver can serve, so some have waiting lists. Each state also names its waiver programs, so a family must search by state. Picture a father who needs nursing home level care but wants to stay in his own home. A waiver may pay for the help that makes that possible. A common mistake is to think a waiver is open to all. Financial rules, level of care rules, and slot limits apply.
Source: medicaid.gov
Related terms
- Level of care assessmentA level of care assessment is an evaluation that decides whether a person needs the level of care that a nursing facility provides.
- Medicaid waiver waitlistA Medicaid waiver waitlist is a list of people who qualify for a home and community-based waiver but cannot enroll yet because the state has no open slot.
- Medicaid eligibilityMedicaid eligibility for long-term care depends on need, income, and assets.
- Participant-directed Medicaid programA participant-directed Medicaid program lets a person, or a representative, direct their own Medicaid-funded services.
- Medicaid personal care servicesMedicaid personal care services are hands-on help with daily activities that Medicaid pays for.
- MedicaidMedicaid is a joint federal and state health coverage program for people with limited income and resources.
