Medicaid Home & Community-Based Services Waivers

Caring Friends is a proud provider of Nebraska Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services. We provide Companion, Person Care and Care for Children with Disabilities to help individuals continue living at home and in their communities.

Eligibility Requirements & Application Process

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​To receive services, you must be eligible for a Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Waiver. Eligibility requirements and the application process depend on the waiver you need.​

Companion

Companion is for adults ages 18 and older. Supervision and social supports are provided in a participant’s home and possibly community settings. This service may include light housekeeping tasks, as well as bill paying, errand service, essential shopping, food preparation, and laundry service. The provision of Companion services does not entail hands-on nursing care.

When assistance with activities of daily living or health-related tasks is needed, this service should not be authorized and another service, such as Personal Care, should be considered. 

Personal Care

Personal Care is a service for adults aged 18 and older. It includes assistance with activities of daily living and health-related tasks and may include instrumental activities of daily living provided in a participant’s home and other community settings.

This service offers a range of assistance to enable participants to accomplish tasks they would normally do for themselves if they did not have a disability.

• This assistance may take the form of hands-on assistance (actually performing a task for the person) or cuing to prompt the participant to perform a task.
• These services may be provided on an episodic or on a continuing basis.
• Health-related services that are provided may include skilled or nursing care and medication administration to the extent permitted by state law.

Personal Care may include the supports offered in the Companion service when these supports are provided along with assistance with activities of daily living or health-related tasks.

Children aged 16 and 17 can be authorized for this service when the child is transitioning to adult services. Personal care assistance provided under this service does not overlap with personal care assistance provided under the Extra Care for Children with Disabilities service.

Personal Care under the waiver differs in scope and nature from personal care offered under the State Plan, as supervision may be provided. A participant cannot be authorized to receive both services at the same time.

The services under the AD Waiver are limited to additional services not otherwise covered under the state plan, including EPSDT, but consistent with waiver objectives of avoiding institutionalization.

Participants are responsible for overseeing and supervising individual provider on an ongoing basis. Additionally, the Services Coordinator performs monitoring of a participant’s person-centered plan with the participant. Monitoring includes the use or non-use of waiver services. At a minimum, monitoring occurs on a monthly basis.

Care for Children with Disabilities

Extra Care for Children with Disabilities Provides specialized care for a child or youth with disabilities under the age of 18 years. Childcare is provided so the usual caregiver(s) can be employed or take training to help the family’s earning power (such as earning a degree). Provided in the child’s home or in a setting approved by DHHS. This service must be more than two hours per week every week and average less than 12 hours per day.