Waiver Programs

Georgia has four Medicaid waiver programs:

• The Elderly and Disabled Waiver Program (EDWP)
• The Independent Care Waiver Program (ICWP)
• The New Options Waiver Program (NOW)
• The Comprehensive Supports Waiver Program (COMP)

All waivers offer the same core services to help people live in the community, in addition to regular Medicaid coverage:

• Case management services
• Personal support services, also called personal assistance services, that help with daily living activities such as bathing, dressing, and meals (in some cases, your personal assistant may be a family member)
• Home health services, including skilled nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech therapy
• Emergency response systems, including 24-hour access to medical services
• Respite care

Each waiver also has its own set of benefits and services that are meant to help people with different disabilities and living situations.

Depending on your income, you may have to pay some of the cost of your waiver services. The amount you pay is based on how much more income you have than the limit for regular disability-based Medicaid ($967 for an individual per month).

Elderly and Disabled Waiver Program (EDWP)

The Elderly and Disabled Waiver Program (EDWP) is for people who are 65 or older or have a disability and have limitations that make it difficult to care for themselves and do activities of daily living.

To qualify for the EDWP, you must need the level of care typically provided by a nursing home. If you already have home health services through Medicaid or Medicare, these services must not be enough to meet your needs.

In addition to the core waiver services, EDWP services can include:

• Daytime care and supervision in an adult day center
• Alternative residences for people who can’t stay in their homes

The EDWP gives you the option of self-directing your personal support services, which means you or your caregiver or representative can hire, train, and supervise your own personal care assistant.

To apply for an EDWP waiver, contact your local Area Agency on Aging (AAA). An AAA staff member will schedule a screening to ask you questions about your situation.

Note: Depending on your income, you might get services through a program called Service Options Using Resources in a Community Environment (SOURCE), which is for people who get Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits and Medicaid, or the Community Care Services Program (CCSP), which is for people whose income is too high to get SSI.

Learn more about the Elderly and Disabled Waiver Program.

Independent Care Waiver Program (ICWP)

The Independent Care Waiver Program (ICWP) is for people with severe physical disabilities or traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) who are between the ages of 21 and 64. Note: If you apply and are approved before age 65, you can continue being eligible after you turn 65.

To qualify, you must:

• Need help to do activities of daily living because of your physical disability or TBI
• Not have a primary diagnosis of a mental disorder
• Need the level of care normally provided in a hospital or nursing home, and
• Be able to work with a case manager to figure out which services you need (or, if you have a TBI, have a representative who will work with the case manager for you).

ICWP waivers are for people who need more care than people in the Elderly and Disabled Waiver Program.

In addition to the core services, ICWP services can include:

• Specialized medical equipment and supplies
• Counseling
• Home modification
• Companion services

The ICWP gives you the option of self-directing your personal support services, which means you or your caregiver or representative can hire, train, and supervise your own personal care assistant.

To apply for ICWP, contact Alliant Health Solutions at 1-888-669-7195 or HCBSWaivers@AlliantHealth.org.

Read more about the ICWP.

New Options Waiver Program (NOW) and Comprehensive Supports Waiver Program (COMP)

The New Options Waiver Program (NOW) and the Comprehensive Supports Waiver Program (COMP) offer services and support for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities, such as cerebral palsy, epilepsy, or autism.

To qualify for NOW or COMP, you must:

• Have an intellectual disability that started before age 18 or a developmental disability that started before age 22
• Have difficulty taking care of yourself and doing activities of daily living, and
• Need the level of care normally provided in an intermediate care facility for people with intellectual disabilities (ICF-ID).

COMP and NOW offer many services in addition to the core services, including:

• Behavioral support
• Community living support, which includes personal assistance services
• Financial support services
• Prevocational services and supported employment
• Transportation services and vehicle modifications
• Home modifications
• Medical equipment and supplies

COMP is for people with more intensive needs than NOW. COMP can provide high levels of in-home support and supervision, including community residential alternatives, which are home-like, small-group residences.

Read more about these community-based services.

Many of the services in the NOW and COMP programs can be self-directed, which means you can decide who you would like to hire for services and supplies. Read more about self-direction in the NOW and COMP programs.

Applications for NOW or COMP are through the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD). You can apply through an online portal or submit a paper application to your local DBHDD office. Note: Applying online is faster than submitting a paper application.

Learn more about applying for NOW and COMP.