Financing a Medical Respite Care Program

North Carolina received approval in September 2022 to add medical respite care to its 1115 waiver as part of the state’s Healthy Opportunities Pilot Program (more details in our 2022 State of the States report). The state uses a universal coordination system for HOP services, allowing providers to gain care referrals, enroll potential Medicaid eligible […]

CMS approved New York’s ‘Medicaid Redesign Team’ 1115 waiver amendment request on Jan. 9, 2024, which includes recuperative care as an allowable health-related social need (HRSN) service. Individuals who 1. are homeless or at imminent risk of homelessness, 2. are transitioning out of institutions, and 3. who are at risk of incurring other Medicaid state

On July 25, 2024 CMS approved New Mexico’s Turquoise Care 1115 Medicaid demonstration waiver renewal request, adding 16 new benefits – including medical respite care – for Medicaid eligible individuals. The State proposed to pilot a medical respite program, operated by Albuquerque Health Care for the Homeless in partnership with First Nations Healthsource, Heading Home,

Nevada SB 54 was passed June 2, 2025 and requires Medicaid coverage for medical respite care for persons experiencing homelessness, if federal financial participation is available and requires the development of a model for providing medical respite care. Note: The bill was signed into law on June 6, 2025 by Governor Lombardo.

During the 2024 state legislative session, Nebraska passed and signed into law LB905, requiring the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services to submit an amendment waiver to CMS, asking for medical respite care to be a covered Medicaid service. The waiver will ask for two designated medical respite facilities to reimburse for services provided

If passed and signed into law, Montana HB 274 will provide Medicaid coverage for medical respite care, reimbursing providers who deliver eligible medical assistance to individuals who are experiencing homelessness and too ill or frail to recover from a physical illness or injury unhoused but are not in need of hospital level care. Note: The

Starting January 1, 2024, Minnesota used a state plan amendment to add Recuperative Care to its Medicaid program for adults who are experiencing homelessness or are otherwise unhoused, and have a referral from a clinic or hospital. Medicaid members must be 19 years or older, currently experiencing homelessness or otherwise unhoused, and in need of

Michigan is using a state plan amendment instead of an 1115 waiver. As of September 1, 2024, Medicaid enrolled adults who are experiencing homelessness and being discharged from an inpatient hospital stay, are now eligible to receive Targeted Case Management – Recuperative Care as healthcare benefit. As a transitional program, those who are too ill