A new waiver approved by the federal government is now available in Alabama to help elderly and disabled Medicaid recipients move from institutions to community-based care.  

The Alabama Community Transition (ACT) Waiver, one of several programs endorsed in 2010 by the state’s Long Term Care (LTC) Rebalancing Advisory Committee, was approved in April by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The approval is for five years.

Marilyn Chappelle, director of Alabama Medicaid’s Long Term Care Division, noted that the committee supported the state’s application for an ACT waiver because it promotes consumer-directed options and gives individuals the opportunity to have greater control and choice in identifying, accessing and managing their long-term care services and supports. The consumer-directed option will enable participants to make choices regarding personal care, homemaker, companion and unskilled respite services.  The waiver would also include services designed for transitioning individuals into home and community-based care.

“Our goal is to help patients receive medically necessary care, regardless of setting,” Chappelle said. “If patients can remain at home or in the community and safely receive the same high-level care as they would in a long term care facility, then we want to provide that option.”

The Alabama Department of Rehabilitative Services will operate the program for the Agency. To qualify for one of the waiver’s 200 slots, disabled individuals on SSI or with income of up to 300% of the SSI Income Level must have been in a nursing facility for at least 90 days, be eligible to transition into the community, and expect to move within 180 days.