Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services Section 1915(c) Waiver Policy Flexibilities During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency: State Agency, Provider, and Consumer Experiences Issue Brief

States may use Appendix K to modify their existing Medicaid home and community-based services (HCBS) 1915(c) waiver programs during emergency situations. During the COVID-19 public health emergency, states used Appendix K to make temporary changes to access and eligibility, payment, services, and other aspects of their waiver programs. This brief describes experiences of state agencies and HCBS consumer and provider groups with the selection, implementation, evaluation, and continuation of Appendix K policy flexibilities during the COVID-19 public health emergency.

This research was conducted under a contract between HHS/ASPE’s Office of Behavioral Health, Disability, and Aging Policy (BHDAP) and Mathematica Policy Research. Additional research in this area is available at the ASPE Long-Term Services & Supports/Long-Term Care page and the ASPE COVID-19 page.

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Available Report:

• Medicaid Section 1915(c) Home and Community-Based Services Waiver Policy Flexibilities During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency: State Agency, Provider, and Consumer Experiences Issue Brief

Related Products:

• An Overview of Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services 1915(c) Policy Flexibilities States Adopted During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Issue Brief (2023)