Minnesota Home Care Medicaid

For care delivered at home or in the community rather than in a facility, Minnesota DHS points to several waiver programs: the Elderly Waiver, the Brain Injury Waiver, the Community Alternative Care Waiver, the Community Access for Disability Inclusion Waiver, the Developmental Disabilities Waiver, and the Alternative Care program. Applications for any of these route through the local county or Tribal social-services agency, which conducts the screening that determines waiver eligibility.

Of these, the Elderly Waiver is the one most relevant to older adults. DHS describes it as providing home- and community-based services to people who meet nursing-facility level of care, qualify financially for MA, and would rather remain in the community than move into a facility. Because counties, Tribal entities, and managed care organizations all play a role in administering it, families should check with their local lead agency about the assessment process, the service plan, and what providers are actually available in their area.

One notable development: DHS has reported that waitlists for several of its major disability-related waivers — including the Brain Injury, Community Access for Disability Inclusion, and Developmental Disabilities waivers — are no longer in effect, though that doesn't eliminate the underlying screening and funding requirements.