The Frail Elderly waiver and the Physical Disability waiver are the two Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) waivers Kansas Medicaid uses to pay for care at home instead of a nursing facility.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (1915). Kansas Waiver Factsheet — Medicaid.gov (CMS 1915(c) HCBS waiver descriptions). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Oct 13, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/KS These are the Kansas Medicaid HCBS waivers, and both are run by the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) inside KanCare, the state's managed-care Medicaid program. A Medicaid waiver like this lets a person who would otherwise need nursing-home-level care receive that care in their own home or community instead. The Frail Elderly (FE) waiver serves adults age 65 or older, the Physical Disability (PD) waiver serves people with physical disabilities ages 16 to 64, and in both cases a person has to meet a nursing facility level of care to qualify.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (1915). Kansas Waiver Factsheet — Medicaid.gov (CMS 1915(c) HCBS waiver descriptions). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Oct 13, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/KS
In This Guide
- What Kansas Medicaid HCBS Waivers Are and Where They Come From
- The Two Kansas Medicaid HCBS Waivers in Detail
- Who Qualifies for a Kansas HCBS Waiver
- What the Waivers Cover
- How Enrollment Works
- How to Apply
What Kansas Medicaid HCBS Waivers Are and Where They Come From
Home and Community Based Services, usually shortened to HCBS, is the part of Medicaid that pays for long-term care delivered outside an institution, in your own home, a family member's home, or another community setting rather than in a nursing facility. States offer these services under a federal Medicaid authority called a Section 1915(c) HCBS waiver, and Kansas uses that authority to serve people who meet a nursing facility level of care at home or in the community instead.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (1915). Kansas Waiver Factsheet — Medicaid.gov (CMS 1915(c) HCBS waiver descriptions). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Oct 13, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/KS
Kansas runs two of these waivers for older adults and people with physical disabilities: the Frail Elderly (FE) waiver and the Physical Disability (PD) waiver.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (1915). Kansas Waiver Factsheet — Medicaid.gov (CMS 1915(c) HCBS waiver descriptions). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Oct 13, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/KS Both are administered by KDADS and delivered through KanCare, the state's managed-care Medicaid program, and the services a member receives are determined and authorized through the care coordinator at their KanCare health plan.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (1915). Kansas 1915(c) Waiver Descriptions Factsheet - Medicaid.gov (CMS). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Sep 4, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/KS The idea behind both waivers is the same: a person who meets the level of care a nursing facility provides gets an alternative to nursing home care, and these waivers are how Kansas pays for the supports that make it work.
The two waivers exist because they serve two different groups. The FE waiver is built around older adults, and the PD waiver is built around working-age adults with physical disabilities. They share the same underlying structure and a large part of the same service menu, but the population and the age rules differ, which is why it matters to know which one fits your situation before you apply.
The Two Kansas Medicaid HCBS Waivers in Detail
Here is how the two Kansas Medicaid HCBS waivers compare on the points that decide which one applies to you.
| Feature | Frail Elderly (FE) waiver | Physical Disability (PD) waiver |
|---|---|---|
| Who it serves | Adults age 65 or older | People with physical disabilities, ages 16 to 64 |
| Functional test | Nursing facility level of care | Nursing facility level of care |
| Administered by | KDADS, under KanCare | KDADS, under KanCare |
| Self-direction | Only Attendant Care Services may be self-directed | Personal care, enhanced care, and financial management services may be self-directed |
The Frail Elderly (FE) waiver provides Kansas seniors an alternative to nursing home care.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (1915). Kansas Waiver Factsheet — Medicaid.gov (CMS 1915(c) HCBS waiver descriptions). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Oct 13, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/KS It is designed for people age 65 or older who meet a nursing facility level of care, meaning their needs are serious enough that they could be admitted to a nursing home, and it pays for in-home and community supports so that they do not have to be.
The Physical Disability (PD) waiver serves people with physical disabilities between the ages of 16 and 64 who also meet a nursing facility level of care.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (1915). Kansas Waiver Factsheet — Medicaid.gov (CMS 1915(c) HCBS waiver descriptions). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Oct 13, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/KS It reaches a younger group than the FE waiver, and its service package is aimed at the daily supports that let a person with a physical disability live and, where possible, work in the community. One service the PD waiver covers that the FE waiver does not is home-delivered meals.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (1915). Kansas Waiver Factsheet — Medicaid.gov (CMS 1915(c) HCBS waiver descriptions). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Oct 13, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/KS
Who Qualifies for a Kansas HCBS Waiver
Qualifying for either waiver comes down to two separate tests, and you have to clear both. The first is functional, about your level of care, and the second is financial, about your income and assets.
The functional test: nursing facility level of care
Both the FE and PD waivers require that you meet a nursing facility level of care, which Kansas measures through its Medicaid nursing facility threshold score.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (1915). Kansas Waiver Factsheet — Medicaid.gov (CMS 1915(c) HCBS waiver descriptions). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Oct 13, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/KS In plain terms, the state has to find that your care needs are serious enough that you would qualify for admission to a nursing home. The waiver's whole reason for existing is to serve people at that level of need in the community instead, so this functional finding is the gateway. The difference between the two waivers at this stage is age, not the level-of-care standard itself: the FE waiver applies the test to adults 65 and older, and the PD waiver applies it to people ages 16 to 64.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (1915). Kansas Waiver Factsheet — Medicaid.gov (CMS 1915(c) HCBS waiver descriptions). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Oct 13, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/KS
The financial test: income and assets
You also have to be financially eligible for Medicaid under Kansas's long-term-care rules. For a single applicant, the long-term-care resource limit is $2,000, and resources Kansas treats as exempt, such as burial spaces and personal effects, don't count toward it.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (2026). CMS CMCS Informational Bulletin — Updated 2026 SSI and Spousal Impoverishment Standards (April 27, 2026), with the attached 2026 standards chart. medicaid.gov. Retrieved Jul 10, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/federal-policy-guidance/downloads/cib04272026.pdf On the income side, Kansas applies one standard whether the care is in a nursing home, through an HCBS waiver, or through the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE): countable income before deductions has to be at or below 300% of the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) standard for a single person, which works out to $2,982 per month in 2026 (the SSI federal benefit rate is $994, and three times that is $2,982).Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (1915). Kansas Waiver Factsheet — Medicaid.gov (CMS 1915(c) HCBS waiver descriptions). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Oct 13, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/KS
Income above that standard does not automatically shut the door, but the way back in is conditional. Kansas's eligibility manual says that if income is over the 300% standard but passes the cost-of-care test, eligibility may be determined under the Medically Needy program instead. So if your income is over the line, ask the KanCare Clearinghouse to run the cost-of-care test rather than assuming a spend-down will get you there.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (1915). Kansas Waiver Factsheet — Medicaid.gov (CMS 1915(c) HCBS waiver descriptions). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Oct 13, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/KS If you want to see how the income and asset rules fit together across Kansas Medicaid, our guide to Kansas Medicaid income and asset limits walks through them in more detail.
What the Waivers Cover
Both waivers pay for a broad package of in-home and community supports. The specific menu differs slightly between them, but the goal is the same: cover the services that let a person stay safely at home rather than move into a facility. Covered services across the two waivers include:Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (1915). Kansas Waiver Factsheet — Medicaid.gov (CMS 1915(c) HCBS waiver descriptions). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Oct 13, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/KS
- Personal care services, the hands-on help with daily activities that sits at the center of home care
- Adult day care (on the FE waiver)
- Enhanced care service
- Home and environmental modification services
- Vehicle modification services
- Home-delivered meals (on the PD waiver)
- Home telehealth and medication reminders
- Personal emergency response systems
- Specialized medical equipment and supplies
- Nursing evaluation visits
- Oral health services (on the FE waiver)
- Financial management services, which process payroll and file the employment taxes when a participant directs their own workerCenters for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Kansas Waiver Fact Sheet — Medicaid.gov. medicaid.gov. Retrieved Aug 7, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/KS
On the FE waiver, there is one service you are allowed to direct yourself. Attendant Care Services is the only service a participant may self-direct, which means choosing, training, monitoring, and, if it comes to it, dismissing their own worker.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (1915). Kansas Waiver Factsheet — Medicaid.gov (CMS 1915(c) HCBS waiver descriptions). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Oct 13, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/KS KDADS's PCS policy effective October 1, 2026 replaces the name Attendant Care Services with Personal Care Services (PCS), so you may hear either name, and the approved FE waiver says self-direction is only available for Level I PCS.Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services. (1915). Application for 1915(c) HCBS Waiver: KS.0303.R06.01 (Frail Elderly), approved effective 07/01/26 — the current approved FE waiver as posted by KDADS (HCBS Programs page, "FE Waiver"). kdads.ks.gov. Retrieved Oct 14, 2026, from https://www.kdads.ks.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/3318/639219432424300000 For a family that already has someone in mind to provide care, that self-direction option can matter a great deal.
How Enrollment Works
Getting onto a waiver is a two-track process, because the functional test and the financial test are handled by different offices. On the functional side, an FE applicant starts with the Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC), which provides options counseling and the functional-eligibility assessment that decides whether you meet a nursing facility level of care.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (1915). Kansas Waiver Factsheet — Medicaid.gov (CMS 1915(c) HCBS waiver descriptions). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Oct 13, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/KS If you are applying for the PD waiver, the KDADS Physical Disability waiver page is the place to confirm where your functional assessment starts. On the financial side, your Medicaid eligibility is determined by the KanCare Clearinghouse, the office that processes Kansas Medicaid financial applications.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (1915). Kansas Waiver Factsheet — Medicaid.gov (CMS 1915(c) HCBS waiver descriptions). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Oct 13, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/KS
Getting through both tests does not always mean services start right away. On the PD waiver, KDADS says an applicant who meets functional eligibility is placed on the PD waiting list, and that a person's number on the list does not decide when an offer comes, because offers are timed to when funds are released.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (1915). Kansas 1915(c) Waiver Descriptions Factsheet - Medicaid.gov (CMS). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Sep 4, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/KS We do not have a current, citable count of how many Kansans are waiting, so ask about current availability when you begin. Once you are enrolled, your KanCare health plan's care coordinator is the person through whom your waiver services are determined and authorized.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (1915). Kansas 1915(c) Waiver Descriptions Factsheet - Medicaid.gov (CMS). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Sep 4, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/KS
How to Apply
The starting point for the FE waiver is the Aging and Disability Resource Center. A prospective participant contacts the ADRC at 1-855-200-2372 for options counseling and the functional-eligibility assessment.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (1915). Kansas Waiver Factsheet — Medicaid.gov (CMS 1915(c) HCBS waiver descriptions). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Oct 13, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/KS From there, the financial side of your application is handled by the KanCare Clearinghouse, which determines your Medicaid eligibility.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (1915). Kansas Waiver Factsheet — Medicaid.gov (CMS 1915(c) HCBS waiver descriptions). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Oct 13, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/KS
It helps to know roughly how long the Medicaid decision itself can take. Federal rules give the state up to 45 days to decide most Medicaid applications, and up to 90 days for applicants who apply for Medicaid on the basis of disability. Those limits can run longer only in unusual circumstances, and the rule gives examples rather than a closed list, such as a delay by the applicant or an examining physician, or an emergency beyond the agency's control. The agency must document the reasons for any delay in your case record, and it may not use the time limits 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 Those are outer limits on the agency rather than a promise your decision will arrive by then, and they say nothing about how quickly a waiver slot opens, so it is worth starting the process as early as you can. Which limit applies turns on the basis you applied under, not on whether a disability question comes up in your case: an older adult applying on the basis of age falls under the 45-day limit even when the file includes a functional-eligibility assessment. If you want the full walk-through of the Kansas Medicaid application itself, see our guide on how to apply for Kansas Medicaid, and for how these waivers compare with facility care, our guide to Kansas Medicaid and nursing home care.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between the Frail Elderly waiver and the Physical Disability waiver?
The main difference is who each one serves. The Frail Elderly (FE) waiver is for adults age 65 or older, and the Physical Disability (PD) waiver is for people with physical disabilities ages 16 to 64.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (1915). Kansas Waiver Factsheet — Medicaid.gov (CMS 1915(c) HCBS waiver descriptions). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Oct 13, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/KS Both the FE and PD waivers require a nursing facility level of care, and both are administered by the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services under KanCare, so they share the same underlying structure. Their covered-service menus overlap heavily, though a few services differ; home-delivered meals, for example, are covered on the PD waiver.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (1915). Kansas Waiver Factsheet — Medicaid.gov (CMS 1915(c) HCBS waiver descriptions). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Oct 13, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/KS
Can I choose and pay my own caregiver on a Kansas HCBS waiver?
On the FE waiver, one service can be self-directed. Attendant Care Services is the only service a participant may self-direct, which means the participant chooses, trains, monitors, and can dismiss their own worker.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (1915). Kansas Waiver Factsheet — Medicaid.gov (CMS 1915(c) HCBS waiver descriptions). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Oct 13, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/KS Since October 1, 2026, KDADS's PCS policy calls that service Personal Care Services (PCS).Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services. (1915). Application for 1915(c) HCBS Waiver: KS.0303.R06.01 (Frail Elderly), approved effective 07/01/26 — the current approved FE waiver as posted by KDADS (HCBS Programs page, "FE Waiver"). kdads.ks.gov. Retrieved Oct 14, 2026, from https://www.kdads.ks.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/3318/639219432424300000 On the PD waiver, the services that may be self-directed include personal care services, enhanced care service, and financial management services.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (1915). Kansas 1915(c) Waiver Descriptions Factsheet - Medicaid.gov (CMS). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Sep 4, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/KS A participant who self-directs is the worker's employer, and the financial management services provider processes payroll and files the taxes as the participant's agent.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Kansas Waiver Fact Sheet — Medicaid.gov. medicaid.gov. Retrieved Aug 7, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/KS If self-directing care matters to your family, raise it with the Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) when you start the process so it can be set up correctly. Which relatives can be the paid worker, and on what conditions, is covered in our guides to family caregiver pay on the Kansas Frail Elderly waiver and family caregiver pay on the Kansas Physical Disability waiver.
Is there a waiting list for the Kansas HCBS waivers?
The PD waiver has one. KDADS says an applicant who meets functional eligibility is placed on the PD waiting list, and that offers are timed to when funds are released rather than by a person's number on the list.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (1915). Kansas 1915(c) Waiver Descriptions Factsheet - Medicaid.gov (CMS). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Sep 4, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/KS We do not have a current, citable count of how many people are waiting on either waiver, so confirm current availability directly when you begin your application rather than rely on a number that may be out of date.
How do I apply for a Kansas HCBS waiver?
For the FE waiver, start by contacting the Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) at 1-855-200-2372 for options counseling and a functional-eligibility assessment, which checks whether you meet a nursing facility level of care.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (1915). Kansas Waiver Factsheet — Medicaid.gov (CMS 1915(c) HCBS waiver descriptions). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Oct 13, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/KS Your financial eligibility for Medicaid is then determined by the KanCare Clearinghouse.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (1915). Kansas Waiver Factsheet — Medicaid.gov (CMS 1915(c) HCBS waiver descriptions). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Oct 13, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/KS Federal rules give the state up to 45 days to decide most Medicaid applications, and up to 90 days for people who apply for Medicaid on the basis of disability, except in unusual circumstances such as a delay by the applicant or an examining physician.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 Those are caps on the agency, not a guaranteed decision date, and a senior applying on the basis of age is covered by the 45-day cap.
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