The waiver is a government-funded program that provides home and community-based services and Medicaid to qualified individuals in Florida.

The waiver program is not income based, and once obtained, these services are for life.

We have created a one-page PDF overview of the Florida Medicaid Waiver. You can download it here.

What type of services does the Waiver provide?

• Residential Habilitation (Group Home)
• Respite (In-Home Care until age 22)
• Personal Supports (In-Home Care for adults)
• Supported Living Coaching
• Supported Employment Coaching
• Skilled Nursing
• Specialized Medical Equipment and Supplies
• Behavior Analysis Service
• Transportation
• Environmental Accessibility Adaptions
• Consumable Medical Supplies

Who Qualifies?

In order to be eligible for services, an individual must have one of the following developmental disabilities diagnosed prior to age 18.

• Intellectual Disability
• ASD (Spectrum Disorder)
• Spina Bifida
• Cerebral Palsy
• Prader-Willi Syndrome
• Down Syndrome
• Phelan-McDermid Syndrome

The Medwaiver Waitlist is a list of people who have gone through the application process and been determined “eligible” for Waiver services.  Because the program itself is underfunded, APD is forced to place these people on the waitlist instead of on the Waiver, where they would actually begin receiving the services that they were determined eligible for.

The Special Needs Guidance Group has developed a free online assessment for determining if your loved one may be eligible for the Florida Medwaiver Waitlist.

You can take this short quiz.

The application for services is available online in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole on the Agency for Persons with Disabilities website. You can access the English PDF application here. If you would like more assistance understanding how to fill out the application quickly and correctly, we offer a half-hour masterclass on Completing the Medwaiver Application.

We’ve compiled a free list of documents that you should collect prior to applying for the Florida Medwaiver.

When someone applies and is determined eligible they should receive an eligibility letter from APD that acknowledges their application and the fact that they have been determined eligible and placed on the Waitlist.  It will also tell them which category they have been placed in 1-7, with 1 being the highest priority and 7 being the lowest.  Upon receipt of that letter, it is best practice to reach out to that APD office and establish a relationship with their assigned APD liaison.  The letter also typically (but not always) comes with a “short form support plan,” which should be signed and returned to the address listed.  This is to “accept” your place on the waitlist.

We recommend making a copy of all signed and unsigned documents and scanning it into an electronic file for safekeeping.  This is your proof of placement on the waitlist.

That being said, not everyone receives a letter in the mail. Sometimes, it is emailed, and sometimes, it is never actually sent.  If you’ve applied and have not heard anything after 45 days, start calling your local APD office!  They can always look anyone up in their system to see if they are on the waitlist or still pending the eligibility determination.

If your loved one is not yet on the Waiver Waitlist, you need to apply immediately. You can learn more about the Medwaiver application here.

If you are already on the Medwaiver Waitlist, read our steps for families in crisis here.

You may be interested in learning how to have more flexibility with your waiver funds. Read more about the CDC Plus program here.

We’ve recorded a ton of free training on all aspects of the Florida Medicaid Waiver. View and subscribe to our Waiver Coffee Chats on YouTube!

Sign up for our free Waiver Wisdom newsletter with tips and tricks about the Florida Medicaid Waiver program.

Come and join our free Florida Medwaiver Parent Support Group on Facebook. Ask questions and get answers from other parents, providers, and Waiver experts.

Join our CDC Plus Forum on Facebook. Ask questions and get answers from other parents, providers, and Waiver experts.