During its 2009 session, the Virginia General Assembly expressed its intent to eliminate the waiting lists for the Medicaid Intellectual Disabilities (formerly “Mental Retardation”) Waiver and the Individual and Family Developmental Disabilities Supports Waiver.

In doing so, it required the Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS) to collaborate with the Department of Planning and Budget to increase the number of funded waiver slots at a minimum of 67 slots for the Individual and Family Developmental Disabilities Supports waiver and 400 slots for the Intellectual Disabilities waiver per year, until the waiting lists are eliminated and directed the Governor to develop a plan to eliminate the waiting lists for these waivers by the 2018-2020 Biennium.

The full report can be accessed here.

The Senate Finance Committee is working on ideas to change the way people become eligible for and utilize the Medicaid Home and Community Based Services Waiver Program.The Medicaid Home and Community Based Services Waiver is a federal program administered by the states, which provides funding for people with disabilities to live in the community and obtain support services. There are currently long waiting lists for this waiver program in many states.

The Senate Finance Committee is creating policy options as part of President Barack Obama’s efforts to reform the American health care system.

The options pertaining to the waiver program include:

• Requiring states to lift their caps on the number of waiver recipients to include more people. Or, prohibiting states from using waiting lists to prevent eligible individuals from accessing services.

• Eliminating a current requirement that in order to obtain funding from the waiver individuals must need an institutional level of care.

• Giving states more latitude to determine income requirements for waiver eligibility.

• Allowing individuals to enroll in multiple Medicaid waivers at one time.