What is a Medicaid Waiver?

  • Administered by the Kentucky Department of  Medicaid Services, funding options for home and community based services are made available to individuals  with a  disability.   Kentucky currently offers five distinct waivers that provide support and training to individuals in a variety of aspects of their lives.  Assistance with daily living skills, independence, social inclusion,  competitive    employment, and personal care are some of the services available through these waiver programs.

How Do I find out if my loved one qualifies for waiver services?

  • Our Helpful Links page provides access to descriptions of each of the waivers, as well as eligibility information.

I just found out that these waivers exist. Where do I begin?

  • The best place to start is to explore the waiver descriptions to identify the waiver most applicable to your loved one. Each of the waiver links on our Helpful Links page includes information about the application process for each waiver.

Is there a waiting list for these waiver services?

  • Yes, there is currently sizable waiting lists for each of these waivers, and new spots on the waivers are opened based on available funding. Emergency allocations for funding are made available in extreme situations, and these are considered on an individual basis.

My child currently receives services through the school system, do I need to apply for a waiver now or should I wait?

  • If your child has an intellectual and/or developmental disability, we encourage families to begin educating themselves on the options for their loved one after they age out of the system. Due to the long waiting lists for these waivers, families are encouraged to begin the application process before the actual need in order to have the advantage of time.

Can an individual have services from more than one waiver at at time?

  • No, an individual can only receive services from one waiver at a time. As life and health needs change, individuals may have the ability to change waiver programs, but the waiting list will remain in effect.