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Waivers 1

Deciding if a waiver is right for you (1)

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There are many things to think about when considering if a waiver is right for you:

  • Do you have any needs that are not being met?
  • Are you safe in your current living situation?
  • What are your natural supports?
  • Do you want the services provided by a waiver?

There are also people and advocacy agencies you can talk with and who can help you decide, including:

  • Your family and/or support people
  • Your medical team
  • Your county representative
  • Disability Hub MN
  • Centers for Independent Living
  • Elder Law

To decide if you'd like the services provided by a waiver, it can be helpful to document your wants and needs. To do this, consider completing:

Waivers 1

Qualifying for a waiver—is it right for you?

To be eligible for a waiver, you must:

1. Be eligible for Medical Assistance (MA)

2. Be certified disabled by the Social Security Administration or the Minnesota State Medical Review Team (SMRT).

3. Complete a MnCHOICES assessment through your county agency or tribe.

NEXT: Answer the questions below to learn more about eligibility, things to think about, and the people, agencies and resources that can help you along the way.

1. Do you have Medical Assistance?

Medical Assistance is health insurance for people with and without disabilities who meet the income and assets rules.

If you have Medical Assistance, please continue to Question #2: "Do you have a disability determination?"

If you don't have medical assistance, also known as MA, lorem ipsum dolor amet text here.

<ul> <li><strong>Do you want to apply for Medical Assistance?</strong><br />You need to apply and be found eligible for Medical Assistance in order to receive waiver services.</li> <li><strong>Would you prefer to use a paper application or an online version?</strong></li> <li><strong>Do you need help filling out the application?</strong></li> <li><strong>Do you want an Authorized Representative?</strong></li> </ul>
<ul> <li>Your county or Tribal human services agency</li> <li>MNSure Navigators</li> </ul>
<p>Include this information for each household member:</p> <ul> <li>Monthly income sources, with verification (for example: employer information such as name, address, EIN)</li> <li>Assets, with verification</li> <li>Social Security number</li> <li>Contact information</li> <li>Insurance information</li> <li>Immigration status information</li> </ul>

2. Do you have a disability determination?

A disability determination is a lorem ipsum dolor amet.

If you have a disability determination from SMRT, please continue to Question 3: "Have you had a MN Choices Assessment?"

If you have a disability determination from Social Security, you will still need to go through the disability determination process with the Minnesota State Medical Review Team to be approved for a waiver. The SMRT process will determine the level of care you require, which is used to decide which waiver(s) you may be eligible to receive.

If you are interested in moving forward with the SMRT process, contact your county financial worker to request a SMRT referral. 

Below are items to consider:

Getting a disability determination from SMRT:

If you don't have a disability determination but would like to be reviewed for one, contact your county or Tribal human services agency, or your county Financial Worker, to request a SMRT referral. Complete and return the SMRT disability worksheet to them.

Being reviewed for a disability determination from SMRT:

3. Have you had a MNChoices Assessment?

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If you've had an assessment and the results lorem ipsum dolor. Consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.

<ul> <li>Do you agree with the outcome of the assessment?</li> <li>If you are eligible for waiver supports, do you want to use those supports?</li> <li>If you do want waiver services, do you want to use the traditional service model or a <a rel="noopener" href="https://mn.gov/dhs/people-we-serve/people-with-disabilities/services/home-community/programs-and-services/cdcs.jsp" target="_blank">consumer-directed service model</a>?</li> </ul>
<ul> <li><strong>Your case manager</strong><br />Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.</li> <li><strong>Special Needs Basic Care (SNBC) Care Coordinator</strong><br />Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.</li> <li><strong>Current support people</strong><br />Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.</li> </ul>
<ul> <li>Names of agencies in your area that provide services you're eligible to receive</li> <li>Community resources that help you meet your support needs</li> </ul>
<p>The experts at Disability Hub MN can help you:</p> <ul> <li>Understand the services you qualify for</li> <li>Understand consumer directed options</li> <li>Find and evaluate service providers in your area</li> <li>Explain your options if you disagree with your MNChoices assessment results</li> </ul> <p>You can talk with an expert via chat, phone (1-866-333-2466) or email.</p>
<p>If the assessment finds that you are eligible for a waiver, you'll need to:</p> <ul> <li><strong>Decide what is important to you</strong><br />This will help you seleect a service provider</li> <li><strong>Notify your Case Manager or MN Choices assessor when you select a service provider</strong><br />The Assessor will enter in a service agreement with the agency(s) you have decided to work with.</li> <li><strong>Ask questions about anything you don't understand</strong></li> </ul>
<p>If you are eligible for waiver services, it will take a month, to several months, to finalize providers and service agreements and for services to start. Once providers receive the service agreement from the Case Manager, there will be an intake process required by the service provider before services can begin.</p> <p>Each year you will need to complete a renewal on your assessment.</p>

Text here to tell a person what to do next if they are in this situation.

If you haven't had a MNChoices assessment and would like one, call your county to set one up. It's important to use the word "assessment" when you talk with the county.

Is a waiver right for you?

If you want the services provided by a waiver and answered "Yes" to all three questions above—or you would like to start the processes so you can answer "Yes" to these questions—then a waiver might be right for you.

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My needs have changed, How do I get additional services?

If you're approved for a waiver: Contact your Case Manager to request a reassessment. You will need to document your additional needs.

If you're PCA-only approved: Contact your Case county’s Front Door to let them know there was a significant change to your condition that has increased your needs for services. You will need to document your additional needs.

Chat, call or email the Hub.

At the Hub, there’s no such thing as a wrong question. We're here to help. Contact us Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 5 pm.