Question 1

Does this tell me if I qualify for a Medicaid waiver?

Accepted Answer

No, and it deliberately never will. Only your state agency can decide eligibility, and a tool that implied otherwise would send families away either falsely reassured or wrongly discouraged — both of which cost years. What this does is tell you how your state's system actually works and what to do about it this week, which is a question that has a real answer and that almost nobody publishes.

Question 2

Why does it ask whether there is an intellectual disability?

Accepted Answer

Because it is the single most consequential variation between states. Alabama's main waiver requires a tested IQ below 70 and Oklahoma's standard route asks for a primary intellectual disability diagnosis, so a verbal, capable autistic person can be excluded by definition rather than by queue position. Connecticut does the opposite, running a waiver that requires an IQ of 70 or above specifically for that group. Knowing which situation you are in changes what you should ask for.

Question 3

Is anything I type here sent to you?

Accepted Answer

No. The whole tool runs in your browser. Nothing is transmitted, stored on our servers, or associated with you in any way.

Question 4

Why does it sometimes say you don't know how a state works?

Accepted Answer

Because for a few states we could not establish from official sources whether people are served in application order or by assessed need. We would rather say so than guess, since guessing wrong would send a family down the wrong path for years. In those cases it shows the state's verified facts and tells you the exact question to ask the agency.

What should I actually do about my state’s waiver?

Where this comes from