Mississippi Medicaid Waivers & Home and Community Based Programs Overview

Mississippi, known as The Magnolia State, has a well-structured Medicaid Waiver and Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) system designed to provide long-term care alternatives for seniors, individuals with disabilities, and those with chronic health conditions.

Administered by the Mississippi Division of Medicaid (DOM), Office of Long-Term Care (OLTC), and the Department of Mental Health (DMH), the state’s Medicaid waiver programs allow eligible individuals to receive care in their homes or community settings rather than institutional care. Key waiver programs include the Elderly and Disabled (E&D) Waiver, which provides personal care, respite, and home modifications for seniors and adults with physical disabilities, and the Intellectual Disabilities/Developmental Disabilities (ID/DD) Waiver, which offers residential, habilitation, and employment support services.

Other major programs include the Independent Living (IL) Waiver, the Assisted Living (AL) Waiver, and the Traumatic Brain Injury/Spinal Cord Injury (TBI/SCI) Waiver, all of which promote independent living and community reintegration. Mississippi also offers Self-Directed Services, allowing waiver participants to hire and manage their own caregivers.

Regulatory oversight in Mississippi is managed through DOM and DMH, with additional licensing and compliance enforcement by the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH), Division of Health Facilities Licensure and Certification. The state operates under both fee-for-service and managed care models, with HCBS services integrated through Mississippi Coordinated Access Network (MississippiCAN) Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) to improve service coordination and cost-effectiveness.

Mississippi has also implemented Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) for personal care services, ensuring greater accountability and fraud prevention in home-based care programs. Providers must navigate Medicaid provider enrollment, prior authorization requirements, and stringent quality assurance measures to participate in the state’s HCBS programs successfully.

With a strong focus on community integration, person-centered planning, and cost-effective service delivery, Mississippi’s Medicaid waiver system ensures that individuals receive high-quality, community-based supports while maintaining independence, dignity, and inclusion in their local communities.

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Explore Policy and Procedure manual for licensing and certification for your state Medicaid Waiver and HCBS programs here.

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