State Medicaid programs provide home- and community-based services (HCBS) to enrollees through state plan and waiver authorities. While HCBS are not a mandatory benefit, all Medicaid programs currently provide some HCBS benefits. Waivers under Section 1915(c) and Section 1115 of the Social Security Act are often used by states to cover HCBS and permit states to limit the number of individuals served and establish waiting lists.
This compendium provides selected information on waiver capacity and waiting list management. The compendium includes information from a total of 268 approved Section 1915(c) and Section 1115 waivers in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, as of March 2020. The compendium groups waiting list management practices into seven categories based on the criteria for waiver entry found in each waiver. Of the 254 approved Section 1915(c) waivers we reviewed as of March 2020, 199 document how waiting lists are managed. Of the 14 Section 1115 waivers we also reviewed as of March 2020, 11 document how waiting lists are managed.
A summary of key findings from this analysis are available in an accompanying issue brief, State Management of Home- and Community-Based Services Waiver Waiting Lists.