The Basics

A Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waiver is an extra set of Medicaid benefits that help people who have extra needs related to their disability and living situation. If you qualify, these benefits help you live in the community, either in your home or in a supported living environment, rather than in an institution like a nursing home.

Iowa has separate waiver programs that help people with different conditions. Each program has its own set of extra services and its own eligibility rules. There are often waiting lists for waivers, which means that even if you are eligible for a waiver program, you might not get services right away.

These are the waiver programs in Iowa:

• The Elderly Waiver
• The Health and Disability Waiver
• The Physical Disability Waiver
• The Intellectual Disability Waiver
• The AIDS/HIV Waiver
• The Brain Injury Waiver
• The Children’s Mental Health Waiver

Note: Iowa’s waivers are in the process of changing in 2026 and 2027. The waivers described here will be merged into more general waivers, called HOME waivers. This article will be updated as changes occur. Get more information about Iowa’s waiver changes and the HOME Project.

Waivers are meant to help people live in the community by offering benefits and services that help with health and independence. As such, they can help you if you:

• Live in a long-term care facility and want to move into your own home
• Are recently disabled and are leaving a hospital or rehabilitation center, or
• Live at home and need more services to be able to keep living there, in your community.

The exact services you get can include adaptive equipment and technology, personal care, counseling, supported employment, and more. Learn more about the services offered by waiver programs.