Review of the Medicaid 1915(c) Home and Community Based Services Waiver Program Literature and Program Data
June 2000
DHHS, Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA)
Lewin contact: Lisa Alecxih
This report reviews literature and provides a brief summary of current program statistics for the Medicaid 1915(c) Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Waiver program. The review is limited to literature specifically related to the 1915(c) waiver program and focuses on two categories of programs that constitute the majority of recipients and expenditures: programs serving aged individuals and individuals under age 65 with physical disabilities (A/D); and programs serving individuals with mental retardation or developmental disabilities (MR/DD).
The document addresses the following six areas:
History of the waiver program;
Current program characteristics;
The role of care management and consumer direction;
Issues related to quality of care and life in HCBS waivers;
Cost control mechanisms; and
Evaluations of cost savings associated with the waiver program.