Thousands of disabled Hoosiers face 1-3 year long waitlists for state Medicaid waivers released in July

INDIANAPOLIS — Thousands of disabled Hoosiers could spend months, if not years, on a waitlist to receive Medicaid waivers.

These include the Pathways Waiver (for Hoosiers over 60 who require nursing-level care), or the Health & Wellness Waiver (for Hoosiers under 60 who require nursing-level care), according to lawmakers on the Medicaid Advisory Committee and affected families.

The Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) launched both waivers on July 1 of this year to replace the Aged & Disabled Waiver. According to concerned parent Tessa Taylor, if her two disabled twin girls don’t get off the Health & Wellness Waiver waitlist soon, her family faces financial ruin. Her fraternal twins, Jillian and Jadelyn, suffer from Cerebral Palsy and chronic kidney issues respectively.

”They just told me whenever their names came to the top of the list that they would get ahold of me,” said Taylor. “It’s frustrating that they’re not, they’re not, considering you know, what it’s doing to families like mine.”

”They are in a crisis mode, and we need to be more responsive to their needs,” said State Sen. Fady Qaddoura (D-Indianapolis), who serves on the Medicaid Advisory Committee.

According to State Sen. Qaddoura, there are 13,000 Hoosiers still waiting for either Pathways or Health & Wellness Waiver services, and getting all Hoosiers over 60 processed could take a year. For Hoosiers under 60, that jumps to three years.

”If the state delays more, most likely, these individuals will end up being on Medicaid and being in nursing facilities that cost the state much more,” State Sen. Qaddoura said.

”A lot of these families don’t have three years to wait to be able to get this help,” said Jennifer DeWitt with Indiana Families United for Care.

But the wait times aren’t necessarily due to a lack of slots. According to DeWitt, while there are enough open slots available for 80% of those on the Health and Wellness waitlist, there are only a limited number of Hoosiers admitted.

”People are only being taken off the waitlist at about 125 people per month,” said DeWitt.

The FSSA said in-person assessments, and determining financial eligibility, must take place before a person is invited off the waitlist, and that the agency is committed to continually looking at ways to improve the process.

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