Community Options Waiver
The Community Options Waiver is also known as the Home and Community-Based Options Waiver. It’s designed to help people who need a nursing home level of care remain living in the community. In addition to delaying or preventing an individual’s entry into a nursing home, this waiver is also available to people who currently reside in a nursing home and want to return to their home or an assisted living community.
The waiver is available to people aged 18 and over who meet the level of care required for placement in a nursing home. Applicants must also meet the financial eligibility requirements for waiver programs in the state.
The services offered through the program include assisted living, case management, dietitian and nutritionist services and behavioral consultations. Recipients are also eligible to receive Medicaid services, which can include personal care, nurse monitoring and transition services. Not all assisted living facilities participate in the program, and those that do must be willing to accept Medicaid payment rates.
People currently living in a nursing home can apply by contacting Maryland Access Point at (844) 627-5465. The program isn’t currently accepting applications from people living in the community, but you can contact the above number to be put on the waiting list.
Increased Community Services Program
The Increased Community Services Program is specifically designed to help people living in nursing homes move back into the community. This could mean returning to their home, or moving into the home of a relative or an assisted living facility. The program provides transitional services to support recipients as they move, as well as long-term care services to support them in the community.
To be eligible for the program, applicants must currently reside in a nursing home and have been living there for at least 3 months. In addition, they need to have been Medicaid eligible for at least 30 days of those three months. Applicants must also require a nursing home level of care and meet the financial eligibility criteria for Maryland Medicaid’s waiver programs. An individual’s application won’t be approved if the cost of their care in the community will exceed what Medicaid pays for the nursing home care they’re currently receiving.
Services provided through the program include personal assistance, care planning, nurse monitoring and assistive technology. Assisted living is listed as a benefit of the program and includes the services generally provided in these facilities, such as meals and social programming.
Seniors can apply for the program by contacting Maryland Access Point at (844) 627-5465.