Applying for a Medicaid waiver in Mississippi is a two-part process: you first need to qualify for Medicaid itself, then apply for the specific waiver program that fits your situation. Mississippi operates five Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waivers, each designed for a different population. The waiver you need determines which agency handles your application and what clinical assessment you’ll go through.
Mississippi’s Five Medicaid Waivers
Each waiver serves people who would otherwise need care in a nursing facility or institutional setting. The goal is to provide enough support to keep you living at home or in your community. Here’s what each one covers:
- Elderly and Disabled (E&D) Waiver: For older adults who need nursing-facility-level care. Covers case management, adult day services, home-delivered meals, personal care, in-home and institutional respite, extended home health services including skilled nursing and therapy, and community transition services.
- Intellectual Disabilities/Developmental Disabilities (ID/DD) Waiver: For individuals with autism, intellectual disabilities, or developmental disabilities who would otherwise need placement in an institutional care facility. Covers a wide range of services including supported living, supported employment, day services, respite, therapy, crisis intervention, behavior support, and host home arrangements.
- Independent Living (IL) Waiver: For individuals age 16 and older with severe orthopedic or neurological impairments. Covers case management, personal care attendants, home accessibility modifications, specialized medical equipment, and transition assistance.
- Traumatic Brain Injury/Spinal Cord Injury (TBI/SCI) Waiver: For individuals with a TBI or spinal cord injury who are medically stable. Covers personal care attendants, respite, home accessibility adaptations, specialized equipment and supplies, case management, and transition assistance.
- Assisted Living (AL) Waiver: Provides personal care, supervision, therapeutic care, and social services in a community-based assisted living setting rather than a nursing home.
Step 1: Apply for Medicaid Coverage
Before you can access any waiver, you need active Medicaid eligibility in Mississippi. There are four ways to submit your application:
- Online: Through Access.ms.gov, the state’s benefits portal, where you can also check your application status and upload documents later.
- By fax: Print and fax the application to 601-576-4164.
- By mail: Send your application to P.O. Box 2222, Jackson, MS 39225.
- In person: Visit any of the 30 regional Medicaid offices across the state.
If you have questions or want an application mailed to you, call the Division of Medicaid Contact Center at 800-421-2408.
Documents You’ll Need
Gather these before you start your application to avoid delays:
- Social Security numbers for everyone applying (or immigration document numbers for legal immigrants)
- Dates of birth for each applicant
- Employer and income information for everyone in the household who has income, using recent pay stubs, W-2 forms, or other proof of earnings
- Policy numbers for any current health insurance
- Details about any job-related health insurance available to your family
Step 2: Request the Specific Waiver
Once you have Medicaid coverage (or are applying simultaneously), the next step depends on which waiver you need. Different agencies manage different waivers, and each has its own intake process.
The ID/DD Waiver is administered by the Mississippi Department of Mental Health, Bureau of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. You’ll need to contact them directly to begin the intake process. To qualify, you must fall into one of these eligibility categories: receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI), receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), being a disabled child living at home, or having income up to 300% of the SSI federal benefit rate.
The Independent Living Waiver is run jointly by the Division of Medicaid and the Department of Rehabilitation Services. You must be at least 16 years old, have a severe orthopedic or neurological impairment, be medically stable, and be able to communicate your needs either verbally or nonverbally with caregivers and case managers.
The Elderly and Disabled Waiver, TBI/SCI Waiver, and Assisted Living Waiver are coordinated through the Division of Medicaid. For any of these, calling the central contact number at 800-421-2408 is the most direct way to get connected with the right intake team.
The Clinical Assessment
Financial eligibility alone won’t qualify you for a waiver. You also need to meet a clinical threshold proving you require the level of care the waiver provides. For older adults and people with physical disabilities, Mississippi uses a standardized assessment tool called the interRAI Home Care instrument. An assessor visits and asks specific, practical questions about your daily functioning, such as how much help you’ve needed preparing meals or bathing in the last three days. The answers generate an objective picture of your care needs rather than relying on a single evaluator’s judgment.
For individuals applying for the ID/DD waiver, the state uses a different tool called the Inventory for Client and Agency Planning (ICAP), which measures adaptive behavior and support needs specific to intellectual and developmental disabilities. Both assessments are used not just to determine eligibility but also to build your individualized care plan once you’re approved.
What to Expect With Wait Times
Some of Mississippi’s waivers have limited slots, and wait times vary by program. The E&D Waiver historically has not maintained a formal waiting list. The ID/DD Waiver, on the other hand, can have significant waits depending on available capacity, with slots generally filled on a first-come, first-served basis. When you apply, ask specifically about current wait times for your waiver so you can plan accordingly. If you’re placed on a waiting list, stay in contact with the managing agency to keep your spot active and update them if your situation changes.
Key Contacts
The Division of Medicaid’s central office in Jackson is your starting point for most waivers. You can reach them toll-free at 800-421-2408 or by phone at 601-359-6050. Mail goes to P.O. Box 2222, Jackson, Mississippi 39225. For in-person help, regional offices are spread across the state in cities including Pearl (601-825-0477), Brookhaven (601-835-2020), Clarksdale (662-627-1493), and Cleveland (662-843-7753), among others. A full list of all 30 offices is available at medicaid.ms.gov under “Office Locations.”
For the ID/DD Waiver specifically, contact the Department of Mental Health’s Bureau of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. They handle intake separately from the Division of Medicaid. For the Independent Living Waiver, the Department of Rehabilitation Services co-manages the program and can walk you through their referral process.