Idaho Medicaid pays for care at home through the Aged and Disabled (A&D) Waiver, a nursing-home alternative run by the state.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Idaho Waiver Factsheet - Medicaid.gov (ID Aged and Disabled Waiver 1076.R07.00). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Jul 17, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/ID The A&D Waiver is the state's main home and community-based pathway, and it serves older adults and adults with disabilities who meet a nursing facility level of care.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Idaho Waiver Factsheet - Medicaid.gov (ID Aged and Disabled Waiver 1076.R07.00). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Jul 17, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/ID
The A&D Waiver is a Section 1915(c) home and community-based services (HCBS) waiver that serves adults ages 65 or older and adults ages 18 to 64 with physical or other disabilities, and it pays for the kind of hands-on help that lets someone stay in their own home or a community setting instead of moving into a nursing facility.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Idaho Waiver Factsheet - Medicaid.gov (ID Aged and Disabled Waiver 1076.R07.00). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Jul 17, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/ID
In This Guide
- What Idaho Medicaid HCBS Waivers Are
- Inside Idaho's Aged and Disabled Waiver
- Who Qualifies for the Idaho A&D Waiver
- What Idaho Medicaid HCBS Waivers Cover
- How Enrollment Works
- How to Apply Through Idaho Health and Welfare
What Idaho Medicaid HCBS Waivers Are
"HCBS" stands for home and community-based services: Medicaid-funded care delivered in a person's own home or a community setting instead of a nursing facility. In Idaho, that care runs through a Section 1915(c) HCBS waiver for people who meet a nursing facility level of care.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Idaho Waiver Factsheet - Medicaid.gov (ID Aged and Disabled Waiver 1076.R07.00). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Jul 17, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/ID
Idaho uses that authority to run the Aged and Disabled (A&D) Waiver, its main home and community-based pathway for older adults and adults with disabilities.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Idaho Waiver Factsheet - Medicaid.gov (ID Aged and Disabled Waiver 1076.R07.00). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Jul 17, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/ID The waiver is a nursing-home alternative: the person has to be sick or disabled enough that a nursing facility would otherwise be on the table, but instead of moving into one, they get Medicaid-funded help where they live.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Idaho Waiver Factsheet - Medicaid.gov (ID Aged and Disabled Waiver 1076.R07.00). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Jul 17, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/ID
Inside Idaho's Aged and Disabled Waiver
The A&D Waiver is a Section 1915(c) HCBS waiver, formally waiver number 1076, administered by the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare (DHW) Division of Medicaid.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Idaho Waiver Factsheet - Medicaid.gov (ID Aged and Disabled Waiver 1076.R07.00). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Jul 17, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/ID Think of DHW as the agency that both decides whether you qualify for Medicaid and runs the waiver that pays for your home-based care.
The program is designed for two groups: individuals ages 65 or older, and adults ages 18 to 64 who have a physical or other disability.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Idaho Waiver Factsheet - Medicaid.gov (ID Aged and Disabled Waiver 1076.R07.00). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Jul 17, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/ID Both groups have to reach the same functional bar, a nursing facility level of care, which we walk through in the next section. The point of the waiver is to keep that care in the community, so the services are the everyday supports that make staying home realistic rather than care inside a nursing facility.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Idaho Waiver Factsheet - Medicaid.gov (ID Aged and Disabled Waiver 1076.R07.00). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Jul 17, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/ID
Who Qualifies for the Idaho A&D Waiver
Qualifying for the A&D Waiver comes down to two separate tests, and you have to clear both.
The functional test. You must be assessed as needing a nursing facility level of care.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Idaho Waiver Factsheet - Medicaid.gov (ID Aged and Disabled Waiver 1076.R07.00). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Jul 17, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/ID In plain terms, that means your health and daily-living needs are serious enough that you could be admitted to a nursing home if the waiver weren't there to support you at home. DHW administers that assessment as part of enrollment.files.dfm.idaho.gov. (n.d.). Idaho Administrative Code — IDAPA 16.03.26, Medicaid Plan Benefits (Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, Division of Medicaid; current rules, sections dated 7-1-26). Retrieved Oct 4, 2026, from https://files.dfm.idaho.gov/dfm-admin-website/rules/current/16/160326.pdf
The financial test. DHW publishes identical income and resource limits for home and community-based services and for nursing-facility care.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Idaho Waiver Factsheet - Medicaid.gov (ID Aged and Disabled Waiver 1076.R07.00). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Jul 17, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/ID For January 2026, those are a monthly income limit of $3,002 for an individual and $5,984 for a couple, together with a countable-resource limit of $2,000 for an individual, listed as $2,000 each for a couple.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Idaho Waiver Factsheet - Medicaid.gov (ID Aged and Disabled Waiver 1076.R07.00). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Jul 17, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/ID DHW's limits page doesn't say which resources count toward that $2,000, or whether a spouse who stays at home keeps a separate allowance, and DHW notes that most programs have additional eligibility requirements. If you own your home or are married, confirm the countable-resource rules with DHW before reading the bare $2,000 as a reason you don't qualify.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Idaho Waiver Factsheet - Medicaid.gov (ID Aged and Disabled Waiver 1076.R07.00). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Jul 17, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/ID For more on Idaho's eligibility rules, see our guide to Idaho Medicaid eligibility and income limits.
What Idaho Medicaid HCBS Waivers Cover
The A&D Waiver pays for a broad menu of services, and the ones you actually receive depend on your assessed needs rather than a one-size-fits-all package.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Idaho Waiver Factsheet - Medicaid.gov (ID Aged and Disabled Waiver 1076.R07.00). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Jul 17, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/ID Covered services include:
- Adult day health
- Attendant care
- Homemaker and chore services
- Companion services
- Respite care, which gives a family caregiver a break
- Home-delivered meals
- Skilled nursing
- Environmental accessibility adaptations, meaning home modifications such as ramps or grab bars
- Specialized medical equipment and supplies
- A personal emergency response system (PERS), the wearable button that calls for help
- Non-medical transportation
- Adult residential care
- Supported employmentCenters for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Idaho Waiver Factsheet - Medicaid.gov (ID Aged and Disabled Waiver 1076.R07.00). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Jul 17, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/ID
One service is missing from that list. Hands-on personal care (grooming, bathing, toileting, dressing, food and nutrition, and incidental housekeeping) is delivered in Idaho through Personal Care Services (PCS), a Medicaid State Plan benefit rather than an A&D Waiver service, though DHW's Bureau of Long Term Care oversees both.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Idaho Waiver Factsheet - Medicaid.gov (ID Aged and Disabled Waiver 1076.R07.00). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Jul 17, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/ID So if that's the help you're after, ask DHW about PCS alongside the waiver rather than assuming the waiver covers it.
Not everyone gets every service. During enrollment, DHW administers the assessment and develops your initial individual service plan, and a new plan has to be developed and approved each year.files.dfm.idaho.gov. (n.d.). Idaho Administrative Code — IDAPA 16.03.26, Medicaid Plan Benefits (Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, Division of Medicaid; current rules, sections dated 7-1-26). Retrieved Oct 4, 2026, from https://files.dfm.idaho.gov/dfm-admin-website/rules/current/16/160326.pdf
How Enrollment Works
Enrollment runs on the two tests above, handled together. An applicant is assessed for the nursing facility level of care and applies for Medicaid long-term-care coverage through the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Idaho Waiver Factsheet - Medicaid.gov (ID Aged and Disabled Waiver 1076.R07.00). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Jul 17, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/ID If both the functional and financial pieces check out, DHW develops your individual service plan, and the waiver pays for the covered supports in it.files.dfm.idaho.gov. (n.d.). Idaho Administrative Code — IDAPA 16.03.26, Medicaid Plan Benefits (Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, Division of Medicaid; current rules, sections dated 7-1-26). Retrieved Oct 4, 2026, from https://files.dfm.idaho.gov/dfm-admin-website/rules/current/16/160326.pdf
The sources this guide relies on don't state whether the A&D Waiver currently has a wait. When you reach out to DHW, ask whether services are available right away or whether there is a wait for your situation, and the agency can give you the current answer (see the FAQ below for more on this).
How to Apply Through Idaho Health and Welfare
To start, you apply for Medicaid long-term-care coverage through the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, and you are also assessed for the nursing facility level of care that the waiver requires.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Idaho Waiver Factsheet - Medicaid.gov (ID Aged and Disabled Waiver 1076.R07.00). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Jul 17, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/ID DHW's team schedules A&D Waiver assessments, and an assigned nurse reviewer contacts you.files.dfm.idaho.gov. (n.d.). Idaho Administrative Code — IDAPA 16.03.26, Medicaid Plan Benefits (Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, Division of Medicaid; current rules, sections dated 7-1-26). Retrieved Oct 4, 2026, from https://files.dfm.idaho.gov/dfm-admin-website/rules/current/16/160326.pdf
Federal Medicaid rules give you several ways to file that application: the agency must accept it online, by phone, by mail, or in person.U.S. Government Publishing Office. (n.d.). 42 CFR 435.907 — Application (eCFR, current). ecfr.gov. Retrieved Jul 13, 2026, from https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-42/section-435.907 Pick whichever channel is easiest for your family.
Once you apply, the state has a deadline to decide. Under federal rules, except in unusual circumstances, an eligibility determination may not take longer than 90 days for applicants who apply for Medicaid on the basis of disability, or longer than 45 days for all other applicants.U.S. Government Publishing Office. (2026). 42 CFR 435.912(c)(3) — Timely determination of eligibility (eCFR current text, as revised eff. July 31, 2026). ecfr.gov. Retrieved Aug 7, 2026, from https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-42/section-435.912 Which deadline applies turns on the basis you applied under, so an applicant 65 or older applying on the basis of age is on the 45-day clock even though the A&D Waiver also requires a nursing facility level-of-care assessment. The unusual circumstances that can excuse the deadline include a delay caused by the applicant or an examining physician, or an emergency beyond the agency's control. When the agency runs late, it must record the reasons in your case record, and it may not use the deadline as a waiting period or as a reason to deny you.U.S. Government Publishing Office. (2026). 42 CFR 435.912(c)(3) — Timely determination of eligibility (eCFR current text, as revised eff. July 31, 2026). ecfr.gov. Retrieved Aug 7, 2026, from https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-42/section-435.912 So on an age-basis application with nothing held up on your side, a decision still pending past day 45 is worth raising with DHW. If you're weighing the A&D Waiver against a facility, our guide to Idaho Medicaid long-term care and nursing homes compares the two pathways in more detail.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a waiting list for the Idaho A&D Waiver?
The published state material this guide relies on doesn't state a current interest-list or waiting-list status for the Aged and Disabled (A&D) Waiver, so the honest answer is that it depends on current capacity. Confirm availability directly with the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare when you apply, and ask specifically whether services can start right away for your situation.
How is the A&D Waiver different from nursing home Medicaid?
Both require a nursing facility level of care, and DHW publishes the same income and resource limits for each.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Idaho Waiver Factsheet - Medicaid.gov (ID Aged and Disabled Waiver 1076.R07.00). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Jul 17, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/ID The difference is where the care happens. Nursing home Medicaid pays for care inside a facility, while the A&D Waiver pays for attendant care, homemaker help, respite, home modifications, and similar supports so you can stay in your own home or a community setting instead.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Idaho Waiver Factsheet - Medicaid.gov (ID Aged and Disabled Waiver 1076.R07.00). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Jul 17, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/ID
Can the A&D Waiver help pay for a residential setting, not just my own home?
Yes. Adult residential care is one of the waiver's covered services, so the A&D Waiver can support care in a community residential setting as well as in your own home, depending on your assessed needs.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Idaho Waiver Factsheet - Medicaid.gov (ID Aged and Disabled Waiver 1076.R07.00). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Jul 17, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/ID Idaho's rule says that setting includes licensed Residential Assisted Living Facilities and certified family homes, and Idaho's certified family home rules do not exempt a relative who is paid through a publicly funded program to care for an adult in the relative's own home; see certified family homes for relative caregivers in Idaho.files.dfm.idaho.gov. (n.d.). IDAPA 16.03.19, Certified Family Homes (sections 001 Scope and Exceptions, 010 Definitions, 100 Certification Requirements) - Idaho Department of Health and Welfare rule as published by the Idaho Office of the Administrative Rules Coordinator (files.dfm.idaho.gov). Retrieved Oct 14, 2026, from https://files.dfm.idaho.gov/dfm-admin-website/rules/current/16/160319.pdf
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