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Indiana's In-Home Medicaid Waiver, Explained

Most Indianapolis-area seniors needing in-home-only services use the same PathWays Waiver, locally case-managed by CICOA.

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Home›State Rules›Indiana's In-Home Medicaid Waiver, Explained

In-home services under the PathWays Waiver

Short answer

Seniors (60+) needing in-home-only Medicaid HCBS services in the Indianapolis metro generally use the same PathWays Waiver that pays for care inside a licensed community -- it is not a separate program for home-only care. CICOA Aging & In-Home Solutions provides local case management.

What it covers at home

Personal/attendant care, respite for family caregivers, home modifications, case management, and adult day services -- delivered in a private home rather than a licensed facility. It does not cover room and board, which is not applicable to an in-home arrangement in the first place.

The separate program for younger Hoosiers

Hoosiers under 60 with disabilities use a different program, the Health and Wellness (H&W) Waiver, administered by DDARS's Bureau of Disability Services -- most families using this site's guidance will use PathWays instead.

Who to call

CICOA Aging & In-Home Solutions (317-254-5465, or the Resource Center at 317-803-6131) is the Area Agency on Aging serving every county this site covers, and handles PathWays case management locally.

Questions families ask

What's the difference between a nursing home and assisted living in Indiana?

A nursing home is licensed in Indiana as a Comprehensive Care Facility, providing 24-hour skilled nursing care and carrying a federal CMS star rating. Assisted living is licensed as a Residential Care Facility, a lower level of care with no CMS rating.

What's the difference between hospice and palliative care?

Palliative care focuses on symptom relief and quality of life, and can run alongside curative treatment at any stage of an illness. Hospice is for a life-limiting illness when a physician expects six months or less if the disease runs its normal course, and generally means curative treatment has stopped.

What license does Indiana require for assisted living?

Indiana licenses assisted-living-type communities as Residential Care Facilities (RCF) under 410 IAC 16.2-5 and Indiana Code 16-28-2, issued by the Indiana Department of Health. It is a single license type -- Indiana does not tier assisted living into Type A/Type B categories the way Texas does.

Does Indiana require every assisted living community to be licensed?

No. Under 410 IAC 16.2-5-0.5(c), a community that provides only room, board, housekeeping and activities -- without administering medication or providing nursing care -- is not required to hold a Residential Care Facility license at all. Some buildings marketed as assisted living in Indiana may carry no state license, so always confirm directly.

Does Indiana require a separate license for memory care?

No. Indiana requires a written Alzheimer's and Dementia Special Care Disclosure under Indiana Code 12-10-5.5, not a separate state certification. Communities must file the disclosure and meet training requirements, but there is no distinct 'certified memory care' license to check for.

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