Virginia CCC Plus Waiver: Virginia 2026 Guide
Virginia’s Commonwealth Coordinated Care Plus (CCC Plus) Waiver pays for home and community-based care for older adults and people with disabilities who need a nursing facility level of care. Since October 1, 2023, it has been delivered through Cardinal Care, Virginia’s combined Medicaid managed care program, under the Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS).
Below we cover the 2026 eligibility rules for the CCC Plus Waiver, the services it can pay for, the steps to apply, how waiting lists work, and how the program sits alongside nursing home Medicaid in Virginia. For the full statewide rules on income, assets, spouses and the look-back, see our Virginia Medicaid guide.
Figures change periodically. Double-check current amounts before relying on them.
What the CCC Plus Waiver is
CCC Plus is a 1915(c) waiver. Members receive waiver services through their Cardinal Care health plan, which assigns a care coordinator. Personal care can be agency-directed or consumer-directed, and consumer direction allows family members to be paid. A spouse generally cannot be a paid CCC Plus attendant for an adult. Virginia Medicaid does not pay for assisted living under CCC Plus; a separate state Auxiliary Grant helps some low-income residents pay for approved assisted living.
In federal terms, the CCC Plus Waiver is a home and community-based services (HCBS) waiver. That label means Virginia received approval to bend some usual Medicaid rules, most importantly the link between long-term care and a nursing home bed. Because waivers are optional, each one has its own name, service list and, often, a cap on how many people it serves at once. Being eligible, in other words, is not the same as being enrolled.
Who qualifies in 2026
Virginia looks at both how much help a person needs and what they own and earn. In general, to qualify for the CCC Plus Waiver an applicant must:
- be 65 or older, or have a disability (any age);
- live in Virginia;
- meet nursing facility criteria through a Long-Term Services and Supports Screening;
- meet Virginia’s long-term care financial rules; and
- be at risk of nursing facility placement without waiver services.
The money test. the CCC Plus Waiver uses Virginia’s long-term care Medicaid financial rules, which are usually the same income and asset limits used for nursing home Medicaid. Savings, investments and real estate other than the home count; the home, a car, belongings and some burial funds usually do not. Gifts made in the five years before applying can trigger a penalty that delays waiver services, just as it would delay nursing home coverage.
In 2026, the income limit for the CCC Plus Waiver is $2,982 a month (300% of the SSI rate), and the single-person asset limit is $2,000.
For reference, these are Virginia’s key 2026 long-term care Medicaid figures:
| Item | 2026 figure |
|---|---|
| Income limit (applicant) | $2,982 a month (300% of the SSI rate); above this, spend-down may apply |
| Asset limit (single applicant) | $2,000 |
| Asset limit (couple, both applying) | $3,000 |
| Home equity limit | $752,000 |
| Spouse at home: resource allowance (CSRA) | Minimum $32,532 / maximum $162,660 |
| Spouse at home: monthly income allowance (MMMNA) | Minimum $2,705 (from July 1, 2026) / maximum $4,066.50 |
| Personal needs allowance (nursing home) | $40 a month |
| Look-back period | 60 months (5 years) |
If you are married. The spouse who stays home is protected: federal spousal impoverishment rules let them keep a share of the couple’s assets and, if their own income is low, part of the applicant’s income. The spousal allowance pages explain how these amounts are figured.
Services the CCC Plus Waiver can cover
Services are listed in a written plan of care, built from the assessment and the person’s goals. Not everyone gets every service. Depending on need, the CCC Plus Waiver can include:
- personal care, agency-directed or consumer-directed
- respite care
- adult day health care
- private duty nursing
- personal emergency response systems and medication monitoring
- assistive technology and environmental modifications
- transition services for people leaving a nursing facility
- care coordination through the health plan
Room and board is not included. Medicaid rules bar the CCC Plus Waiver from paying rent and food, so anyone using it in a residential setting pays those costs from income. Family help is usually factored into the plan, and medical coverage runs alongside the waiver as before.
How to apply for the CCC Plus Waiver
The steps below describe the usual path. Many people apply for Medicaid and request the waiver at the same time, so that the money and care tests run side by side.
- Request a Long-Term Services and Supports Screening from the local department of social services or health department, or a hospital screening team if in the hospital.
- Apply for Medicaid through the local department of social services or Virginia’s online application.
- After approval, enroll in a Cardinal Care health plan.
- The care coordinator completes an assessment and plan.
- Services start.
Staying organized. Copy every form before you send it and keep a simple call log. During the assessment, describe a typical bad day rather than a good day, and have a family member present who knows how much help is really needed. Memory problems, falls and the need for supervision all count, even when the person can still do some tasks alone. If the answer is no, the written notice explains how to request a fair hearing and the deadline.
Waiting lists and timing
Virginia reported no waiting list for the CCC Plus Waiver in 2026.
Getting on a list early, before a crisis, is usually wise. While waiting, other options can help: state plan personal care, adult day programs, PACE where offered, Older Americans Act services through the Area Agency on Aging, and family caregiver support. The waiver waiting lists page explains common rules.
How it relates to nursing home Medicaid
the CCC Plus Waiver serves people who meet the same care-need standard as nursing home residents, so it is an alternative to a nursing home rather than a lower level of care. Nursing home Medicaid is an entitlement for people who qualify, so it has no waiting list, while a waiver may. If care at home becomes unsafe, a participant can move to a nursing home and keep Medicaid, though the share of income paid toward care changes. Moving the other way is often given priority, and Money Follows the Person can help.
Tips for families
Begin before the situation is urgent; every step takes longer than families expect. Have five years of records ready and write down daily care needs for a couple of weeks before the visit. Income over the limit can often be handled with a Miller trust or spend-down, and any recent gifts deserve review before filing. A reassessment can be requested whenever needs change.
Because the CCC Plus Waiver combines a care test, a money test and sometimes a wait, a Certified Medicaid Planner familiar with Virginia can be a real help: checking finances against the 2026 limits, flagging look-back issues and keeping the application on track. Typical fees vary widely: help with an application alone often runs about $500 to $6,000, full planning about $2,500 to $15,000 or more, and hourly advice about $150 to $600.
Related pages
- Virginia Medicaid guide
- Will Medicaid pay for assisted living?
- HCBS waivers explained
- Applying for a waiver
- Nursing home level of care
- Waiver waiting lists
- The five-year look-back
Last updated for 2026. General information only, not legal or financial advice. Medicaid Answers is a free educational resource published by Medicaid Answers Foundation.