Wyoming Community Choices Waiver: Wyoming 2026 Guide

Wyoming’s Community Choices Waiver (CCW) helps older adults and adults with disabilities who need nursing facility level care live at home or in assisted living. It is run by the Wyoming Department of Health, Division of Healthcare Financing.

Below we cover the 2026 eligibility rules for the Community Choices 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 Wyoming. For the full statewide rules on income, assets, spouses and the look-back, see our Wyoming Medicaid guide.

Figures change periodically. Double-check current amounts before relying on them.

What the Community Choices Waiver is

CCW is a 1915(c) waiver. A public health nurse completes the LT-101 assessment, valid for 12 months. Participants choose a case management agency and can self-direct some services.

A home and community-based services (HCBS) waiver is a Medicaid program a state runs with federal approval. “Waiver” means the state may set aside some normal Medicaid rules, such as the rule that long-term care is paid only in a nursing home, so it can pay for care at home or in a community setting instead. Waivers are optional for states, so each sets its own services and, often, a limit on enrollment. Being eligible, in other words, is not the same as being enrolled.

Who qualifies in 2026

Eligibility for the Community Choices Waiver rests on two tests, care need and finances, plus an available slot. In general, an applicant must:

• be 65 or older, or 19 to 64 with a qualifying disability;
• meet nursing facility level of care through the LT-101;
• meet Medicaid financial rules; and
• choose a case manager.

Income and assets. The financial side of the Community Choices Waiver follows Wyoming’s long-term care Medicaid rules. Bank and investment accounts count toward the limit, but a home, one vehicle, household goods and limited burial funds generally 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 is $2,982 a month, with a qualifying income trust above that, and the single-person asset limit is $2,000.

For reference, these are Wyoming’s key 2026 long-term care Medicaid figures:

Couples. Spousal impoverishment rules generally apply to waiver applicants in Wyoming, protecting a share of assets and income for the spouse at home. The spousal allowance pages explain how these amounts are figured.

Services the Community Choices 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 Community Choices Waiver can include:

• case management
• personal care
• adult day services
• respite
• home health aide
• meals
• transportation
• home modifications
• assisted living services
• self-directed services

Room and board is not included. Medicaid rules bar the Community Choices Waiver from paying rent and food, so anyone using it in a residential setting pays those costs from income. Plans of care are built around any unpaid help family already gives, and doctor, hospital and drug coverage continue separately.

How to apply for the Community Choices 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.

1. Request an LT-101 assessment.
2. Submit the CCW application.
3. Apply for Medicaid.
4. Choose a case management agency.
5. Services start.

Tips for the paperwork. Keep a folder of copies, and log every call with the date and name. 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. Cognitive problems and fall risk count toward need. If services are denied, the notice lists the deadline to appeal.

Waiting lists and timing

Wyoming rules provide a statewide waitlist when capacity is reached, ordered by eligibility date.

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 Community Choices Waiver and nursing home Medicaid serve the same group of people; the difference is where care is given. Nursing home coverage cannot be capped, but waiver enrollment sometimes is. 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. Gather five years of bank statements before the caseworker requests them, and keep a two-week care diary before the assessment. If income is above the limit, a Miller trust or a spend-down may apply, depending on the state. If money has been given to family in the past five years, get advice before applying. When care needs grow, a new assessment can be requested at any time.

We encourage families to consult a Certified Medicaid Planner before filing for the Community Choices Waiver. A planner can compare Wyoming’s programs side by side, protect a spouse’s share where the rules allow, and prepare the paperwork. 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

• Wyoming Medicaid guide
• Miller trusts
• 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.