Community Alternative Care (CAC) Waiver

Community Alternative Care (CAC) Waiver

The CAC Waiver provides funding for MA-Waiver services for adults and children with disabilities. The goal of the program is to make it possible for people with disabilities to live safely in their community rather than in a hospital.

The CAC Waiver is one of Minnesota's smallest MA-Waiver programs, serving 200 – 300 people annually. CAC Waiver services vary depending upon your needs, and can include services such as home nursing, nutritional therapy, and modifications to a home or vehicle.

Eligibility

To qualify for the CAC Waiver, you must meet the eligibility criteria outlined here.

Additionally, your primary care physician and a MnCHOICES assessment must determine that you need a level of care that is typically provided in a hospital. This means that:

• You need skilled intervention several times a day to maintain your health
• You have predictable health needs
• There is some risk of your health status changing quickly and if it were to change, it could lead to a life-threatening situation
• You require a 24-hour plan of care that includes a back-up plan to assure your health and safety, and
• You would require frequent or continuous care in a hospital without CAC Waiver services

Services

To qualify for the CAC Waiver, you must also be enrolled in Medical Assistance (MA), so everyone on the CAC Waiver has access to all services covered under MA. In addition, there are a number of other services that the CAC Waiver covers that MA does not. These services include:

• Case management services
• Consumer-directed community supports (CDCS)
• Employment services, including work Exploration, Development, and Support
• Extended home health aide and nursing services
• Extended home health therapies
• Extended Personal Care Assistant (PCA) services
• Extended transportation services
• Family counseling and training
• Foster care services
• Homemaker services
• Modifications to the home or vehicle
• Nutritional therapy
• Respite care
• Specialized supplies and equipment
• Transitional services

If you have any questions about the CAC Waiver program, Chat with a Hub expert.