Georgia runs five Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waivers that pay for care in your own home instead of a nursing facility or institution. Each one serves a different population, and most carry a planning list, so picking the right one and applying early matters.

In This Guide

Compare Georgia's Five Medicaid HCBS Waivers

All five waivers operate under Section 1915(c) of the Social Security Act, which lets a state pay for community-based long-term care for people who would otherwise need institutional care. They differ by who they serve, which agency runs them, and the level of care they require.

Waiver Who it serves Agency Level of care Planning list
CCSP Frail older adults and adults with physical disabilities DCH Nursing facility Yes
SOURCE Aged, blind, or disabled adults needing care coordination DCH Nursing facility Yes
ICWP Adults 21 to 64 with severe physical disabilities DCH Hospital or nursing facility Yes
NOW People with I/DD, lower support needs DBHDD ICF/IID Yes
COMP People with I/DD, higher support needs DBHDD ICF/IID Yes

CCSP and SOURCE together form Georgia's Elderly and Disabled Waiver Program (EDWP), the umbrella the Department of Community Health uses for its aged-and-disabled HCBS. This guide is the hub for all five waivers; each waiver above links to its own detailed page, and the federal mechanics behind them are covered in Georgia's Section 1915(c) waivers framework.

What Is a Georgia Medicaid HCBS Waiver?

A Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waiver lets Medicaid pay for personal care, day services, and other supports in your home or community rather than in a nursing facility or an intermediate care facility for individuals with intellectual disabilities (ICF/IID). Section 1915(c) of the Social Security Act, enacted in 1981, authorizes a state to "waive" three regular Medicaid rules so it can offer a defined package of community services: it can limit the waiver geographically, offer services that differ from the standard Medicaid benefit, and use the more generous institutional income rules for applicants. Georgia operates five such waivers.

In exchange, the state must show the waiver costs no more than institutional care would have, protect participants' health and welfare, and run a quality plan. Because each waiver is approved for a fixed number of slots, Georgia maintains planning lists (waitlists) for waivers that fill, with crisis cases prioritized.

Two beneficiary groups have separate pathways. Children who are medically fragile or have developmental disabilities reach services through the Georgia Pediatric Program (GAPP) and the Katie Beckett pathway; they are covered below. The deeper federal framework, including the Money Follows the Person transition program and Electronic Visit Verification, lives in dedicated guides.

CCSP and SOURCE: Help for Frail Older Adults

CCSP and SOURCE are the two aged-and-disabled waivers, both administered by the Georgia Department of Community Health. Together they make up the Elderly and Disabled Waiver Program (EDWP). The Area Agency on Aging (AAA) network is the front door, determining both eligibility and the services a person needs; a person who already has full Medicaid can instead contact a SOURCE site for assessment.

Who CCSP serves. Adults age 21 and older who have a functional impairment from physical limitations and qualify for an intermediate nursing-facility level of care, who choose community services over institutional care, and who are Medicaid eligible. CCSP covers personal support (help with bathing, dressing, transferring, and meals), adult day health, a personal emergency response system, home-delivered meals, intermittent skilled nursing, out-of-home respite, and service coordination.

Who SOURCE serves. SOURCE serves the same aged, blind, and disabled population but pairs HCBS with primary-care case management, coordinating a member's doctors alongside their home services. It is the better fit for dual eligibles (people on both Medicare and Medicaid) who need someone managing care across both programs. SOURCE applies the same EDWP income and resource limits as CCSP; the DCH fact sheet sets one EDWP-wide income table, not a separate, stricter SOURCE limit.

A common arrangement is to use both: SOURCE for care coordination and CCSP for the waiver-funded long-term services. For details on each, see the CCSP waiver guide and the SOURCE waiver guide.

ICWP: Help for Working-Age Adults With Physical Disabilities

The Independent Care Waiver Program serves adults age 21 to 64 with severe physical disabilities, such as spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, multiple sclerosis, or ALS, who meet a hospital or nursing-facility level of care. Its focus is independent community living for working-age adults, a group that falls between the aged-and-disabled waivers and the developmental-disability waivers. ICWP covers personal support services, a personal emergency response system, adult day health, skilled nursing, specialized medical equipment, and case management. ICWP maintains a planning list; intake runs through the Department of Community Health and its contracted case-management entity. The dedicated ICWP waiver guide covers eligibility and services in full.

NOW and COMP: Help for People With Developmental Disabilities

The New Options Waiver and the Comprehensive Supports Waiver Program are Georgia's two waivers for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, both administered by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities. To qualify, a person must have an intellectual disability, or a closely related developmental disability such as autism, cerebral palsy, or epilepsy, that substantially impairs intellectual or adaptive functioning, with onset by age 18 for an intellectual disability or by age 22 for a developmental disability. The person must meet an ICF/IID level of care and be Medicaid eligible.

NOW is designed for people who need less intensive supports; COMP serves people whose needs are greater, including those who need around-the-clock residential support. Both cover community access, supported employment, community living supports, a community residential alternative (a small group home), respite, behavioral supports, and support coordination; COMP adds the more intensive residential and skilled-nursing options.

The planning list is the central reality here. Roughly 7,900 people were on the combined NOW and COMP planning list as of September 2025. About 3,000 of them (38%) were under age 22, and of the 4,900 who were 22 or older, about 2,100 (43%) had been waiting at least six years. DBHDD prioritizes crisis cases to the top; non-crisis applicants commonly wait several years. New-slot funding for fiscal year 2025 totaled about $4.68 million. The full NOW and COMP waivers guide walks through eligibility, services, and crisis prioritization.

GAPP and Katie Beckett: Coverage for Children

Two pathways serve children rather than adults.

The Georgia Pediatric Program (GAPP) covers medically fragile and technology-dependent children under age 21 who need skilled nursing care, providing private-duty nursing, personal care, specialized equipment, and case management.

The Katie Beckett pathway, also called TEFRA, is not a waiver but a Medicaid eligibility category. It lets a child with a severe disability qualify for Medicaid on the child's own income and resources, with the parents' income not counted, when the child needs an institutional level of care but can be served safely at home. To qualify, the child must be a suitable candidate for institutional care, be financially ineligible for SSI because of deemed parental income, meet the level-of-care criteria, and be served at home at no greater cost than institutional care. In Georgia, eligibility does not extend past the month the child turns 18, after which the case transitions to other coverage such as Aged, Blind, and Disabled Medically Needy. Many medically fragile children combine Katie Beckett eligibility with GAPP nursing and a NOW or COMP waiver for services. See the Katie Beckett guide for the application forms and process.

Do You Qualify? Income, Resources, and Level of Care

Every Georgia adult HCBS waiver requires two things at once: the right level of care and Medicaid financial eligibility.

Level of care. CCSP, SOURCE, and ICWP require a nursing-facility (or, for ICWP, hospital) level of care, established through a functional assessment. NOW and COMP require an ICF/IID level of care, which measures adaptive-functioning deficits rather than nursing needs.

Income. Waiver applicants can use the institutional income standard, which is 300% of the SSI Federal Benefit Rate. In 2026 that standard is $2,982 per month for a single applicant, because the SSI Federal Benefit Rate is $994 per month. An applicant with income above the standard may still qualify through Georgia's medically needy spend-down or, for the NOW and COMP waivers, a Medicaid Cap budgeting process.

Resources. The countable-resource limit is $2,000 for a single applicant in 2026. Because Georgia is a Section 1634 state, the SSI resource rules apply to Aged, Blind, and Disabled Medicaid. A home is generally exempt while the applicant or a spouse lives there, along with one vehicle and ordinary household goods. For strategies that protect assets within the rules, see asset spend-down strategies.

Protecting a Married Couple's Finances

When one spouse needs HCBS waiver services and the other does not, federal spousal impoverishment rules under Section 1924 of the Social Security Act protect the at-home (community) spouse. Georgia applies these protections to its HCBS waivers, not just to nursing-facility Medicaid.

The community spouse can keep a Community Spouse Resource Allowance set within a federal range of $32,532 to $162,660 in 2026, plus a monthly income allowance. If the community spouse's own income is below the minimum monthly maintenance needs allowance of $2,705.00, income can be shifted from the applicant spouse up to a maximum of $4,066.50 per month. A transfer of assets for less than fair value within the five-year look-back period can trigger a penalty, so couples often plan with an elder law attorney before applying. For the full mechanics, see Georgia spousal impoverishment.

How to Apply

The first step is reaching the right intake point for the waiver you need, then completing a functional assessment and a Medicaid eligibility determination. Each waiver has its own front door.

Area Agency on Aging (CCSP, SOURCE, or ICWP) The entry point for the Elderly and Disabled Waiver Program; it determines eligibility and the services you need. A person with active full Medicaid can also contact a SOURCE site directly. Helps with: applying for the CCSP, SOURCE, and ICWP aged-and-disabled waivers. aging.georgia.gov
DBHDD Intake and Evaluation (NOW or COMP) Apply online through the Georgia Collaborative ASO's Individual IDD Connects portal, or contact your DBHDD Regional Field Office for help., Helps with: applying for the NOW and COMP developmental-disability waivers and joining the planning list. 1-800-715-4225
Georgia Department of Community Health (GAPP or Katie Beckett) Katie Beckett applications go to the DCH Katie Beckett team, with level-of-care review by Alliant Health Solutions. Helps with: children's pathways (the Georgia Pediatric Program and Katie Beckett eligibility). dch.georgia.gov
Georgia Division of Family and Children Services (eligibility and appeals) Handles Medicaid eligibility and fair-hearing requests, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Request a hearing within 12 days of a closure notice to keep benefits during an appeal; manage your case online at gateway.ga.gov. Helps with: Medicaid eligibility determinations, denials, and fair hearings. 1-877-423-4746

Apply early, even if a planning list is long, because your place is set by your application date. If the situation is a genuine crisis, such as the loss of a caregiver, ask for crisis prioritization and document it. Free civil legal help outside metro Atlanta is available from the Georgia Legal Services Program at 1-833-457-7529, and disability-specific advocacy is available from Disability Rights Georgia. The step-by-step process is in how to apply for Georgia Medicaid and appeals and fair hearings.

Two Worked Examples

These illustrations are hypothetical and meant only to show how the waivers work in practice.

An older adult avoiding a nursing home. Eleanor, 78, is widowed and lives alone in Macon. She uses a walker, has early dementia, and needs help bathing, dressing, and preparing meals. Her survivor benefits are modest and her savings are under the $2,000 resource limit, so she qualifies for Aged, Blind, and Disabled Medicaid. Her daughter contacts the Area Agency on Aging, which conducts a functional assessment and confirms a nursing-facility level of care. A CCSP slot opens, and a care coordinator builds a plan of personal support, adult day health, a personal emergency response system, and home-delivered meals, keeping Eleanor at home.

A young adult with a progressive disability. Marcus, 45, has multiple sclerosis, uses a power wheelchair, and needs help with transfers and bathing. His income is modest but above the regular Aged, Blind, and Disabled standard, so his caseworker routes him through the institutional income pathway, which uses the 300% SSI standard of $2,982 a month in 2026. Because he is under 65 with a physical disability, ICWP fits. He is placed on the planning list, uses limited state-plan personal care and Medicare home health while he waits, and enrolls when a slot opens, avoiding a nursing facility and continuing part-time consulting work.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Georgia Medicaid HCBS waiver is right for an older parent?

For most older adults who need help at home, CCSP is the pathway, reached through the Area Agency on Aging. If your parent is a dual eligible (on both Medicare and Medicaid) who needs care coordinated across both programs, SOURCE may be added. Both are part of the Elderly and Disabled Waiver Program and use the same income and resource limits.

What is the income limit for a Georgia HCBS waiver?

Waiver applicants can use the institutional income standard of 300% of the SSI Federal Benefit Rate, which is $2,982 per month for a single applicant in 2026, with a countable-resource limit of $2,000. Someone above the income standard may still qualify through a medically needy spend-down or, for the developmental-disability waivers, Medicaid Cap budgeting.

How long is the NOW and COMP planning list?

About 7,900 people were on the combined NOW and COMP planning list as of September 2025, and roughly 43% of those over age 22 had been waiting at least six years. DBHDD moves crisis cases to the top, so a family facing the loss of a caregiver or a similar emergency should request crisis prioritization with documentation.

What is the Katie Beckett pathway, and what is the age cutoff?

Katie Beckett (TEFRA) is a Medicaid eligibility category that lets a child with a severe disability qualify on the child's own income, not the parents', when the child needs an institutional level of care but can be served at home. In Georgia, eligibility does not extend past the month the child turns 18, after which the case moves to other coverage such as Aged, Blind, and Disabled Medically Needy.

Can a married person get a waiver without spending down the healthy spouse?

Yes. Georgia applies federal spousal impoverishment protections to its HCBS waivers. In 2026 the at-home spouse can keep between $32,532 and $162,660 in resources and a monthly income allowance up to $4,066.50, so a married applicant does not have to reduce the community spouse to poverty.

What if I am denied a waiver or my services are cut?

You have the right to a fair hearing. Contact the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services at 1-877-423-4746 to request one. If you ask within 12 days of a closure notice, your benefits can continue during the appeal. Free civil legal help outside metro Atlanta is available from the Georgia Legal Services Program at 1-833-457-7529.

Your next step Ready to start? Because your place on any planning list is set by your application date, apply early. For CCSP, SOURCE, or ICWP, contact your Area Agency on Aging at aging.georgia.gov; for NOW or COMP, call DBHDD Intake and Evaluation at 1-800-715-4225.

Learn More

MedicaidGeorgia Medicaid Programs OverviewGeorgia Medicaid 2026: income and asset limits, CCSP and SOURCE waivers, Pathways to Coverage, the Miller Trust rule, estate recovery, and how to apply. MedicaidMedicaid HCBS Waivers by StateMedicaid HCBS waivers pay for care at home instead of a nursing facility. How 1915(c) waivers work, who qualifies, why waitlists happen, and your state's guide. MedicaidGeorgia Section 1915(c) Waivers FrameworkA Georgia Medicaid 1915(c) waiver is capped and waitlisted by federal design, so you can qualify and still wait. How CCSP, SOURCE, ICWP, NOW, and COMP work. MedicaidGeorgia CCSP WaiverGeorgia CCSP Waiver 2026: who qualifies for the Community Care Services Program, what it covers, and how to apply through your Area Agency on Aging. MedicaidGeorgia SOURCE WaiverHow the Georgia SOURCE waiver works in 2026: a delivery model inside the 1915(c) Elderly and Disabled Waiver Program, eligibility, sites, and how to apply. MedicaidGeorgia ICWP WaiverGeorgia's Independent Care Waiver Program (ICWP) funds home care for adults 21-64 with severe physical disabilities or TBI. Eligibility, services, how to apply. MedicaidGeorgia NOW and COMP WaiversHow Georgia's NOW and COMP waivers serve people with I/DD: eligibility, the ~7,900-person Planning List, services covered, and how to apply through DBHDD. MedicaidGeorgia Katie Beckett (TEFRA)Georgia's Katie Beckett Deeming Waiver (TEFRA) lets children under 19 with significant disabilities qualify for Medicaid regardless of family income. MedicaidGeorgia Medicaid Community First ChoiceGeorgia has not adopted Community First Choice (CFC), but you can still get Medicaid attendant care through CCSP, SOURCE, and ICWP. See how, and how to apply. MedicaidGeorgia Money Follows the PersonGeorgia Money Follows the Person funds nursing facility, ICF/IID, and hospital transitions back to the community, with the current 60-day qualifying-stay rule. MedicaidGeorgia Spousal ImpoverishmentHow Georgia Medicaid spousal impoverishment rules protect the at-home spouse in 2026: a CSRA of $32,532–$162,660, an MMMNA income floor, and an income cap. MedicaidGeorgia Medicaid Eligibility & Income LimitsGeorgia Medicaid income limits in 2026: the $994 ABD limit, $2,982 long-term-care cap, $2,000 asset limit, Miller Trust, CSRA, and Pathways to Coverage. MedicaidHow to Apply for Georgia MedicaidHow to apply for Georgia Medicaid in 2026: Georgia Gateway, your local DFCS office, Form 700, the documents you need, processing timelines, and how to appeal.

Find personalized help navigating Georgia's HCBS waivers at brevy.com.

The information on Brevy.com is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional legal, financial, or medical advice. Rules vary by state and program and change frequently. Always verify with the relevant agency or a qualified professional. Brevy is not a law firm, financial advisor, or healthcare provider.

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