Medicaid Waiver Changes

Important changes are coming to the A&D Medicaid Waiver. Make sure you are informed and up to date to see how these changes may affect you and your benefits. 

“On January 17, 2024, the Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) submitted new waiver amendments to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for the proposed Pathways for Aging, Community Integration and Habilitation (CIH), Family Supports (FSW), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), and Health and Wellness (H&W) waivers – currently the Aged & Disabled (A&D) waiver.

While not authorized in the current A&D waiver*, the practice has been to allow Legally Responsible Individuals (LRIs) – parents of a minor and spouses – and legal guardians to serve as paid personal care attendants (PCAs).

CMS allows states to pay LRIs through a Medicaid Waiver; however, as proposed, the H&W Waiver would not allow LRI’s to be paid to provide attendant care. Instead, LRI’s would be required to transition to Indiana’s Structured Family Caregiving program. New guidance issued January 26th clarifies that legal guardians of adults can be paid to provide PCA up to 40 hours a week.

This will negatively impact families caring for medically fragile children with significant disabilities.
We are working with FSSA and talking with state leaders and legislators to identify areas to help bring Medicaid costs into alignment while minimizing the impact on people with disabilities and their families.” -The Arc of Indiana.

Below are some images from various sources that might help illustrate some of these changes.