Mississippi Medicaid Resources:

• State Medicaid Website: Mississippi
• Mississippi Council on Developmental Disabilities Website
• The Arc of Mississippi

Mississippi Medicaid Facts: From Kaiser Family Foundation Medicaid Fact Sheet (2009)

There are 157,300 people with disabilities covered by Medicaid in Mississippi. Mississippi spent $8,181 on each Medicaid recipient with a disability in 2007.

21% of all people covered by Medicaid in Mississippi have a disability, which is higher than the national percentage of 15%.

However, Mississippi spends the same amount of all money spent on Medicaid on services for people with disabilities as the national percentage, which is 42%.

Non-Emergency Transportation Program

This program can help pay for transportation to and from routine, scheduled doctor’s appointments and related medical errands. Some people who are also eligible for Medicare will not be covered.

• Community: transportation (medical)

Healthier Mississippi Demonstration:

Some people who qualify for Medicaid in Mississippi might be enrolled in this demonstration program, which provides coverage for older adults and people with disabilities who have slightly higher incomes than the normal level required to qualify for Medicaid. Under this plan, children receive full state benefits and adults receive a modified benefits package.

• Community: transportation
• Health: audiology, chiropractic, clinic services, dental, dentures, diagnostic services, early and periodic screening, diagnosis and treatment, emergency hospital services, eyeglasses, family planning services, federally qualified health center services, hospice care, inpatient and outpatient hospital services, psychiatric services, intermediate care facilities, lab and x-ray services, nursing services, occupational therapy, optometry services, physical therapy, physician services, podiatry, prescription drugs, preventive services, private duty nursing, prosthetic devices, psychologists, rehabilitation, rural health clinics, speech therapy, hearing therapy, language therapy
• Home: home health services

Assisted Living waiver

This waiver covers people with disabilities who need nursing care. This waiver allows people to live in a community-based assisted living facility instead of in a nursing home.

Ages: 21 and older

Level of Care: nursing

• Community: social and recreational programming, transportation
• Health: medication assistance, skilled nursing services, attendant call systems
• Home: personal care, homemaker services, chore services, attendant care

Elderly and Disabled waiver

The requirements for this waiver are almost the same as those for the Assisted Living waiver, but this waiver provides some different services.

Ages: 21 and older

Level of Care: nursing

• Community: adult day services, transportation, transition assistance (to be provided in the home)
• Health: nursing, physical therapy, speech therapy
• Home: homemaker services, home health services (including nursing, physical therapy, speech therapy), home delivered meals, in or out of home respite
• Social Services: case management

Independent Living waiver

This waiver covers people with disabilities who have severe cognitive or physical disabilities. The program is designed to help these individuals stay at home instead of needing an institutional placement.

Ages: 16 and older

Level of Care: nursing

Option for Self-Direction: This waiver has an option for self-directed personal care, where the person with the disability manages his or her own attendant.

• Community: transition services
• Health: specialized medical equipment and supplies
• Home: personal care and self-directed personal care, environmental accessibility modifications
• Social Services: case management

Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities waiver

This waiver is available statewide to people of all ages who have intellectual and developmental disabilities. It provides services at home to people who would otherwise need care in an intermediate care facility.

Level of Care: intermediate

• Health: day habilitation, behavioral supports, occupational therapy, speech therapy, physical therapy, specialized medical supplies
• Home: attendant care, in-home respite, residential habilitation
• Social Services: support coordination
• Work: prevocational services, supported employment

Traumatic Brain Injury and Spinal Cord Injury waiver

This waiver applies to people who have a brain or spinal cord injury. There are no age restrictions, but applicants must be medically stable. Instead of moving into a nursing facility, services provided by this waiver can be enjoyed at home.

Level of Care: nursing

Community: transition assistance

• Health: specialized medical equipment and supplies
• Home: respite services, environmental accessibility adaptations, attendant care services
• Social Services: case management