State programs
Medicaid waiver waitlist
A 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. States choose the maximum number of people a waiver serves. Some states call it an interest list or a registry.
Why it matters for your family
Because slots are limited by state choice, a person can meet all rules and still wait. Texas STAR+PLUS HCBS uses an interest list, and slots are released first come, first served. Wait times differ by state and program. A common mistake is to wait until a crisis to ask. Join the list as early as the state allows. Ask whether the person can get other help while waiting, such as state plan personal care or Area Agency on Aging services. Private care can fill the gap. Keep your contact information current.
Source: medicaid.gov
Related terms
- Home and community-based services (HCBS) waiverA 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.
- STAR+PLUS Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) programThe STAR+PLUS Home and Community Based Services program is a Texas Medicaid waiver for adults who would otherwise need a nursing facility.
- Medicaid personal care servicesMedicaid personal care services are hands-on help with daily activities that Medicaid pays for.
- Area Agency on Aging (AAA)An Area Agency on Aging is a public or private nonprofit agency that a state designates to meet the needs of older adults in a local area.
- 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.
- Private payPrivate pay means a family pays for care directly from its own money.
