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 Jul 17, 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 Jul 17, 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, which lets a state "waive" the usual rule that long-term care is paid for in an institution and instead cover the same level of care at home.
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 Jul 17, 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 managed-care program that runs most of Kansas Medicaid, so the day-to-day coordination of your services happens through a KanCare health plan. The idea behind both waivers is the same one behind HCBS everywhere: a person who meets the level of care a nursing facility provides can often stay in the community when the right supports are put in place, and these waivers are how Kansas pays for those supports.
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 | Attendant Care Services may be self-directed | Follows the PD waiver's own service rules |
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 Jul 17, 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 Jul 17, 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 Jul 17, 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 Jul 17, 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 Jul 17, 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 KanCare's long-term-care rules. For a single applicant, the countable-asset limit is $2,000, not counting exempt items your Medicaid worker will identify.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (1915). Kansas Waiver Factsheet — Medicaid.gov (CMS 1915(c) HCBS waiver descriptions). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Jul 17, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/KS On the income side, Kansas uses a special income standard equal to three times the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) federal benefit rate, 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 Jul 17, 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. Kansas is a medically-needy state, which means an applicant whose income runs over the special income standard can still qualify by directing the excess income toward the cost of their care, a process usually called a spend-down.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (1915). Kansas Waiver Factsheet — Medicaid.gov (CMS 1915(c) HCBS waiver descriptions). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Jul 17, 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 Jul 17, 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, such as ramps or bathroom changes that make a home safer
- 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 handle the payroll and paperwork when a participant directs their own worker
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 Jul 17, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/KS 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, you start with the Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC), which provides options counseling and arranges 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 Jul 17, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/KS 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 Jul 17, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/KS
Waiver capacity can change over time, and we do not have a current, citable count of how many Kansans are waiting for a slot, so the reliable way to learn where things stand is to ask the ADRC about current availability when you begin. If you are already enrolled in a KanCare health plan, your plan's care coordinator can also help you understand your options.
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 Jul 17, 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 Jul 17, 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 require the state to decide most Medicaid applications within 45 days, and within 90 days when eligibility is based on a disability.U.S. Government Publishing Office. (2024). 42 CFR 435.912 Timely determination and redetermination of eligibility (2024 ed.) — govinfo.gov. govinfo.gov. Retrieved Jun 25, 2026, from https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CFR-2024-title42-vol4/pdf/CFR-2024-title42-vol4-sec435-912.pdf Those are the outer limits for the eligibility determination, not a promise of how quickly a waiver slot opens, so it is worth starting the process as early as you can. 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 Jul 17, 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 Jul 17, 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, with financial management services handling the payroll and tax paperwork behind the scenes.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (1915). Kansas Waiver Factsheet — Medicaid.gov (CMS 1915(c) HCBS waiver descriptions). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Jul 17, 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.
Is there a waiting list for the Kansas HCBS waivers?
Waiver capacity can change from year to year, and we do not have a current, citable figure for Kansas, so the honest answer is that you should confirm current availability directly rather than rely on a number that may be out of date. The Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) is the office that can tell you where things stand when you begin your application.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (1915). Kansas Waiver Factsheet — Medicaid.gov (CMS 1915(c) HCBS waiver descriptions). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Jul 17, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/Waiver-Descript-Factsheet/KS
How do I apply for a Kansas HCBS 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 Jul 17, 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 Jul 17, 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 when eligibility is based on a disability.U.S. Government Publishing Office. (2024). 42 CFR 435.912 Timely determination and redetermination of eligibility (2024 ed.) — govinfo.gov. govinfo.gov. Retrieved Jun 25, 2026, from https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CFR-2024-title42-vol4/pdf/CFR-2024-title42-vol4-sec435-912.pdf
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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.