A Look at Waiting Lists for Medicaid Home- and Community-Based Services from 2016 to 2026
Article Publication Date
Summary
KFF recently released an article providing new insights into waiting lists in Medicaid home care from 2016 to 2026.
Data in the article come from the 24th KFF survey of officials administering Medicaid home care programs. Key takeaways include:
• Forty states maintain waiting lists or interest lists for people who would like to receive home care, a number that fluctuated little between 2016 and 2026.
• In 2026, two states reported having at least one new waiting list (across three waivers), and 32 states reported an increase in the number of people on waiting lists or interest lists compared with only 7 states reporting a decrease.
• Most people on waiting lists or interest lists have intellectual or developmental disabilities (I/DD), and most live in states that do not screen any people for eligibility prior to adding them to waiting lists.
• Most people on waiting lists or interest lists are eligible for personal care provided through states’ regular Medicaid programs or for services provided through specialized state plan home care benefits.
Data in the article come from the 24th KFF survey of officials administering Medicaid home care programs. Key takeaways include:
• Forty states maintain waiting lists or interest lists for people who would like to receive home care, a number that fluctuated little between 2016 and 2026.
• In 2026, two states reported having at least one new waiting list (across three waivers), and 32 states reported an increase in the number of people on waiting lists or interest lists compared with only 7 states reporting a decrease.
• Most people on waiting lists or interest lists have intellectual or developmental disabilities (I/DD), and most live in states that do not screen any people for eligibility prior to adding them to waiting lists.
• Most people on waiting lists or interest lists are eligible for personal care provided through states’ regular Medicaid programs or for services provided through specialized state plan home care benefits.