Independent Living Wavier

INDEPENDENT LIVING WAIVER

Independent Living Waiver (ILW) is a program available to participants receiving Consumer Directed Services (CDS), with a need for additional assistance to remain in the least restrictive environment. The ILW offers several services, including additional CDS Personal Care, Case Management (CM), Environmental Accessibility Adaptations (EAA), Specialized Medical
Equipment (SME), Specialized Medical Supplies (SMS), and Financial Management Services (FMS).

All ILW participants must meet the following eligibility criteria:

• Initial entry into the ILW is limited to individuals 18 years of age to 64 years of age; Individuals who are enrolled in the ILW when they turn sixty-five (65) may remain enrolled in the ILW for as long as they maintain the ability and the desire to self-direct their personal care attendant services.
• Be physically disabled
• Loss of, or loss of use of, all or part of the neurological, muscular or skeletal functions of the body to the extent that the person requires the assistance of another person to accomplish routine tasks.
• Individuals with a cognitive impairment must have had onset of the cognitive impairment on or after age twenty-two (22);
• Be able to self-direct their own CDS
• Be in active Medicaid status Participants eligible for Medicaid on a spenddown basis may be authorized to
  receive ILW during periods when spenddown liability is met. When the participant has not met their monthly spenddown liability amount, the participant and provider may make a private arrangement for the continued delivery of services. In these instances, the participant is responsible for the cost of services received. Participants who receive Medicaid due to eligibility for Blind Pension are not eligible and shall not be authorized for ILW. Participants in a ‘Transfer of Property’ penalty period may be authorized for ILW. Authorization of ILW does not meet the requirements for an individual to be eligible for Home and Community Based (HCB) Medicaid.
• Have an appropriate Medicaid Eligibility (ME) code
• Meet nursing facility level of care; and
• Must not be enrolled in any other waiver program, regardless of which state agency
  administers the waiver