Summary of Approved Modifications to Guide Advocates and Others

Increasing service levels and payment rates? Waiving provider standards? Restricting visits? State Medicaid programs are making all of these modifications and many more to address the COVID-19 crisis.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has begun reviewing and approving states’ emergency requests to modify their home and community-based services (HCBS) waivers. These approvals, documented through CMS’ Appendix K form, list the many modifications that CMS has approved in the past week.

As an aid to advocates, providers, and policy-makers, Justice in Aging is reviewing and summarizing the CMS approvals pertaining to aging-focused HCBS waivers. This summarized information, organized by the same categories used in Appendix K, can be a guide for advocates and others to identify useful modifications and flag others that may be problematic or otherwise unwanted.