Minnesota Elderly Waiver (EW) and Consumer Directed Community Supports (CDCS)
The Elderly Waiver (EW) is Minnesota Medical Assistance’s home and community-based waiver for people 65 and older who need a nursing facility level of care. Consumer Directed Community Supports (CDCS) is an option within EW that lets people manage a flexible budget. It sits alongside our Minnesota Long-Term Care Medicaid guide, which covers the nursing home rules.
Figures change periodically. Double-check current amounts before relying on them.
At a glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Type of program | Medicaid home and community-based services (HCBS) waiver |
| Who runs it | Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS), through counties, tribes and managed care plans |
| Age | 65 and older |
| Care need | Needs a nursing facility level of care |
| Minnesota 2026 income rule (long-term care) | $2,982 a month (Elderly Waiver special income standard) |
| Minnesota 2026 asset limit (single applicant) | $3,000 |
| Waiting list | No waiting list reported in 2026 |
The Elderly Waiver in brief
To sum up, Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS), through counties, tribes and managed care plans oversees the Elderly Waiver. Its target group is 65 and older; on care need, the rule is: Needs a nursing facility level of care. Waiting list status in 2026: No waiting list reported in 2026. More detail on each point follows, and the Minnesota state guide covers the shared financial rules. Other Minnesota programs, and general guides on care at home, are linked at the end of this page for comparison with the Elderly Waiver.
What the program is
Most Elderly Waiver participants are in a Minnesota Senior Health Options (MSHO) or Minnesota Senior Care Plus (MSC+) health plan, and the plan’s care coordinator arranges EW services. People not in a plan work with a county or tribal case manager. Eligibility for EW is decided by a MnCHOICES assessment, which looks at daily activities, health and safety. EW can pay for services at home, and for customized living services in assisted living, where the resident pays room and board. CDCS, Consumer Directed Community Supports, is an option within EW that gives participants a flexible budget to buy services and hire workers.
Under federal law, Minnesota can run home and community-based waivers like the Elderly Waiver, which bend some ordinary Medicaid rules so care can happen outside a facility. Waivers usually have a fixed number of slots each year, a care plan written for each person, and a case manager or support coordinator who arranges services. They do not replace regular Medicaid: a person on a waiver still has ordinary Medicaid coverage for doctor visits, hospital care and prescriptions, with Medicare paying first for people who have it. See our overview of HCBS waivers.
Who qualifies in 2026
Eligibility for the Elderly Waiver comes down to these points. The person:
- Is 65 or older
- Needs a nursing facility level of care (MnCHOICES assessment)
- Qualifies for full Medicaid under Minnesota’s long-term care financial rules (see the money test below)
- Lives in Minnesota and is a U.S. citizen or qualified non-citizen
Financial eligibility. Applicants for the Elderly Waiver must meet Minnesota’s long-term care Medicaid financial rules. Figures shown above are the 2026 Minnesota long-term care limits from our state guide. Exempt items generally include the home within the equity cap, a car, household goods and a modest burial fund. If only one spouse needs the Elderly Waiver, spousal impoverishment rules protect assets and income for the other. See Spousal impoverishment rules.
What the care test means in practice. Minnesota DHS’s assessment covers daily activities, from bathing and dressing to toileting and medications, plus memory and safety. The visit is normally face to face, at home or in a hospital or facility. Have a relative present to describe the hard days, and keep a medication and diagnosis list handy. See Nursing home level of care and Activities of daily living.
What services it can pay for
What a participant receives under the Elderly Waiver follows the care plan. Possible services include:
- Homemaker and personal care help
- Home-delivered meals
- Adult day services
- Respite
- Home changes
- Caregiver support
- Customized living in assisted living
- CDCS flexible budget
No program pays for everything. The Elderly Waiver services are based on assessed need, and a family caregiver who is already helping is usually counted when the plan is written. If needs change, ask for a new assessment.
Directing your own care and paying family
CDCS lets participants manage a budget and hire workers, including some relatives.
How to apply
Getting the Elderly Waiver means passing a money test and a care test. Step by step:
- Contact your county or tribe, or your health plan.
- MnCHOICES assessment.
- Apply for Medical Assistance.
Before contacting Minnesota DHS, see Applying for a waiver and the documents checklist for what to gather.
Waiting lists
Minnesota reported no waiting list for the Elderly Waiver in 2026. EW is available to people who meet the requirements.
General advice is in Waiver waiting lists.
How it relates to nursing home Medicaid
EW uses the nursing facility level of care. Minnesota uses a special income standard of $2,982 a month in 2026 for EW, and people with higher income may still qualify with a monthly contribution. The asset limit and spousal protections are the same as for nursing home Medical Assistance.
Where the nursing home rules still apply. Minnesota’s financial rules for the Elderly Waiver track the nursing home rules closely. The five-year look-back still matters: a transfer for less than fair value can delay payment for long-term care services. After death, estate recovery can reach services paid from age 55 on. People who keep income above a set allowance may have to pay part of it toward their care each month.
If a nursing home becomes necessary. A Minnesota nursing home resident keeps a 2026 personal needs allowance of $132 a month (clothing and personal needs), and most other income goes to the facility. The state guide explains the nursing home side.
Tips for families
- Begin before it is urgent. Every step of the Elderly Waiver takes time, and an early request protects your place.
- Keep copies of every the Elderly Waiver form, notice and letter, and write down the name of each person you speak with and the date.
- Read every notice. If services are denied, cut or ended, the notice explains how to request a fair hearing and the deadline. Requesting one before the deadline often keeps services in place during the appeal.
- Tell Minnesota DHS about changes in money, address or household as they happen.
- Expect yearly reviews of both Medicaid eligibility and the care assessment. See Renewals.
- Protect a spouse at home. Spousal protections must be claimed; a certified Medicaid planner or legal aid office can explain them for your family.
Common questions
What is CDCS? An option within EW that gives participants a flexible budget to hire workers and buy services.
Does EW pay for assisted living? It can pay for customized living services. The resident pays room and board.
Can family be paid? Under CDCS, some relatives can be hired.
Is there a waitlist? Minnesota reported none in 2026.
Related pages
- Minnesota Long-Term Care Medicaid guide
- Minnesota CFSS/PCA
- Minnesota MSHO and MSC+
- Three kinds of Long-Term Care Medicaid
- PACE programs
Last updated for 2026. General information only, not legal or financial advice. Medicaid Answers is a free educational resource published by Medicaid Answers Foundation.