Elderly Waiver, usually shortened to EW, is the Minnesota program that helps people 65 and older pay for care outside a nursing home. It is the main way Medical Assistance shows up in assisted living. It is also widely misunderstood.
The short version
- EW pays for care services. In assisted living that service is called customized living.
- EW does not pay room and board. Rent and meals come from the resident’s own income. A separate program, Housing Support, helps some people with that part.
- Not every assisted living community accepts EW, and many that do limit how many apartments or ask for a period of private pay first.
Who qualifies
Three things have to be true. The person is 65 or older. They qualify financially for Medical Assistance, which has income and asset rules. And an assessment shows they need the level of care a nursing home provides, but they choose to receive it somewhere else.
The financial limits change, and there are protections for a spouse who stays at home, so do not rule yourself out from a number you heard secondhand. The Minnesota Department of Human Services publishes the current rules.
How the process works
- Ask for a MnCHOICES assessment. Call your county human services office. If the person is already on a Minnesota senior health plan, such as MSHO or MSC+, call the plan and ask for the care coordinator instead.
- Have the assessment. An assessor meets with the person, usually at home, and talks through daily activities, health, memory and safety.
- Apply for Medical Assistance for long-term care. This is the financial side. It runs through the county and takes paperwork: bank statements, income, insurance, property.
- Build the support plan. If eligible, a case manager writes a plan and a budget for services.
- Choose a provider that accepts EW. The community has to be enrolled, and has to have an EW opening.
Not sure who to call first? The Senior LinkAge Line, 800-333-2433, is free and will point you to the right office for your county.
Questions to ask any assisted living community about EW
- Do you accept Elderly Waiver? From which counties and health plans?
- From day one, or only after a period of private pay? How long?
- Is there a limit on the number of EW apartments? Is there a waiting list?
- If my mother moves in as private pay and later runs out of money, can she stay in the same apartment on EW?
- What would her room and board payment be on EW?
Get the answers in writing. The answer to the fourth question matters more than any other line in the contract.
What about CADI?
CADI is a similar waiver for adults under 65 who have a disability. Someone who is already on CADI when they turn 65 can usually stay on it.
At French Meadow Place
State here whether French Meadow Place accepts EW, from which counties and plans, any private-pay period, and what happens when a private-pay resident spends down. Until ownership confirms, this section stays a placeholder.
Our private-pay rates are all on the pricing page.
This guide is general information, not legal, financial or medical advice. Program rules change. Confirm details with the Senior LinkAge Line, your county, or a qualified advisor.