What Programs Are Available To Assist Elderly Adults in Massachusetts?
What Medicaid Waiver Programs are in Massachusetts? Massachusetts has several waivers including:
  • Frail Elder Home and Community-Based Services Waiver - age 60 or older
  • Adult Residential Waiver - Age 18 and older;
  • Community Living Waiver;
  • Adult Supports Waiver;
  • Home and Community-Based Services Waiver (HCBS) for Persons with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) - Age 18 and over;
  • The Children’s Autism Home and Community‐Based Services Waiver Program - ages 3-9;

What programs assist older adults in Massachusetts? The Massachusetts Home & Community Based Waiver - Frail Elder Waiver - assists senior citizens in Massachusetts.

What is the best number to call to get started with waiver services in Massachusetts? To learn more about services in Massachusetts, call
1-800-AGE-INFO (1-800-243-4636)

Is there a website?
 http://www.mass.gov/elders

Who Qualifies For Assistance?

Who qualifies for the Massachusetts Frail Elder Home and Community-Based Services Waiver? You may be eligible for the Frail Elder Home and Community-Based Services Waiver (HCBS) if you meet all other HCBS Waiver eligibility requirements and you:

  • are age 60 or older
  • if under 65, are totally and permanently disabled
  • are certified by the state as medically eligible for nursing home care
  • would be institutionalized in a nursing facility if you did not receive waiver services

How old do you have to be to start receiving services in Massachusetts? You have to be age 60 or older to get services under the Massachusetts Frail Elder Home and Community-Based Services Waiver.

What Services Are Offered & What Are The Service Limitations?

What services does the Medicaid waiver program offer to elderly persons in Massachusetts ? Massachusetts offers the following services: personal care services; housekeeping, chore services, and laundry; home health aide, home care aide, and/or skilled nursing care; companion services; supportive day program; home delivered meals and grocery shopping; transportation; wander response system; respite care; accessibility adaptations (such as ramps, grab bars, bathroom modifications) and transitional assistance (for people moving from an institution to a community residence)

How Do You Become A Provider?

Is There A Fee? There is not a fee to become a waiver provider in Massachusetts, but you need a license to do most services. You need a license to provide: Residential/Home Supports and Day/Employment Supports. You do not need a license to provide: transportation, family support services, or clinical teams. Most license expire after two years, and the provider needs to be reviewed to continue providing services.

Additional Information

The Home and Community-Based Services Waiver (HCBS) is a program for low-income Massachusetts residents who qualify for nursing facility or other institutional care but want to live at home. The Waiver allows the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to use Medicaid funds (which otherwise would have been used for an individual’s nursing home care) for that individual’s care at home.

MA Providers

Massachusetts Providers

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Wingate Healthcare 1-800-946-4283
Wingate Healthcare specializes in compassionate, senior care, post acute care and rehab and brain injury rehab for residents of all ages.

Jesmond Nursing Home 781-581-0420
Jesmond Nursing & Rehabilitative Care services include: skilled nursing, short term rehabilitative care, long term care, hospice & respite care, and social services.

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Massachusetts Waivers
  • The Children’s Autism Home and Community‐Based Services Waiver Program: The Autism Waiver Program at the Department of Developmental Services Autism Division serves children, birth through age 8, with an autism spectrum disorder who meet the eligibility criteria. Only 157 children may participate in the Autism Waiver Program at any one time.The Autism Waiver allows children to receive Expanded Habilitation, Education, in‐home services and supports, such as Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) and Floor Time, for a total of 3 years. At the conclusion of the 3 years of the intensive in‐home services, a child may access ongoing Supplemental Services (for example respite and goods and services, etc.) that meet the child’s needs and help with the transition out of the intensive Autism Waiver Program— until the child’s 9th Birthday. All waiver services require that the child (and the child's family) continues to meet the financial and clinical eligibility requirements for the Waiver Program, 150% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). Contact 1‐888‐367‐4435 for more information.
  • Adult Residential Waiver: The Residential Waiver is for individuals who need a residential placement that has supervision and staffing, 24 hours a day, seven days a week due to significant behavioral, medical, and/or physical support needs and the absence of available, natural, generic and Medicaid services. The Waiver is a program run by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts through MassHealth that pays for health care for people living in Massachusetts who have medium, low, or no income. Call 1-888-367-4435
  • Community Living Waiver The Community Living Waiver is for individuals who can live in their family home, in the home of someone else, or their own home and do not need supervision 24 hours a day, seven days a week due to the combination of natural, generic and Medicaid services.
  • Adult Supports Waiver: The Adult Supports Waiver is for individuals who can live in their own home or apartment or family home due to the combination of a strong natural/informal generic and Medicaid services.
  • Frail Elder Waiver: For frail elders, waiver services may include personal care services, housekeeping and chore services, laundry, home health aide, skilled nursing, companion services, supportive day program, home delivered meals, grocery shopping, transportation, wander response system, respite care, environmental accessibility adaptation, and transitional assistance. 1-800-243-4636
  • Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Waiver: Services for TBI clients may include day programs; respite; supported employment; physical, occupational, and speech therapy; transportation; personal care and homemaker services; specialized medical equipment, and home accessibility adaptations. The TBI waiver participant and a case manager work together to develop a plan of services. Contact MassHealth Waiver Information at 1-866-281-5602.