Independence is one of the greatest goals a disabled person strives for, and adaptive technology helps individuals better reach that goal. An obstacle in attaining independence can be the financial stress of affording adaptive equipment on top of other medical and housing expenses. Fortunately, there is funding available for individuals who need a little extra assistance in order to afford home and community-based care for their loved ones.
The Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services administered through the Department of Public Welfare has waiver programs available for eligible Pennsylvanians. The goal of these waivers is to allow disabled individuals to live safely and comfortably in their own homes and communities. The programs are called “waivers” because the federal government has to “waive” certain rules to allow the state to provide funding for home and community-based care as opposed to using the funding towards institutional care.
A total of 10 different waivers are available, all with different services, eligibilities and requirements. We have outlined below just a few of the waivers that provide funding towards vehicle modifications based on the disability of the individual.
The Person/Family Directed Support Waiver provides services to eligible persons with mental retardation in order for them to remain in the community. Services include assistive technology and vehicle accessibility adaptations. Adaptations consist of installation and repair of vehicle lifts, interior alterations, and other customized devices necessary for the individual’s safe transportation. Maximum state and federal funding is limited to $20,000 per household.
The Consolidated Waiver for Individuals with Mental Retardation provides services to eligible persons with mental retardation in order for them to remain in the community. Under the Consolidated Waiver, funding is available for vehicle modifications including installation, repair, and maintenance. The waiver also covers extended warranties for those vehicle modifications. Although the waiver cannot be used to purchase vehicles, it can be used to fund the portion of a new or used vehicle purchase that relates to the cost of accessible adaptations. These adaptations include vehicle lifts, interior alterations to seats, head/leg rests, belts, raised roofs, and/or lowered floors. Adaptations also include customized devices for the individual, such as hand controls. Maximum state and federal funding is limited to $10,000 per individual during a 5-year period.
The Independence Waiver serves individuals with acquired physical disabilities over the age of 18 who have limitations in three or more of the following areas: self-care, understanding language and using language, learning, self-direction, capacity for independent living and/or mobility. The individual must not require mechanical ventilator support or currently live in a nursing home, and he or she must want to transition into the community. Accessibility adaptations under the Independence Waiver include selecting, designing, fitting, customizing, adapting, applying, maintaining, repairing, or replacing assistive technology devices. All vehicles adapted cannot be older than 5 years, cannot have more than 50,000 miles, and must pass a state standard state inspection. Any vehicle adaptation that exceeds $6,000 will require a review by the State Medicaid Agency program.
The COMMCARE Waiver serves individuals with traumatic brain injuries who are over the age of 21 and have function limitations in three of the following areas: mobility, behavior, communications, self-care, self-direction, capacity for independent living, judgment, memory, and reasoning. The individual must not be dependent on mechanical ventilator support and must have the medical diagnosis of traumatic brain injury. Accessibility adaptations under the COMMCARE Waiver include selecting, designing, fitting, customizing, adapting, applying, maintaining, repairing, or replacing assistive technology devices. All vehicles adapted cannot be older than 5 years, cannot have more than 50,000 miles, and must pass a state standard state inspection. Any vehicle adaptation that exceeds $6,000 will require a review by the State Medicaid Agency program.
Each of these waivers was created to help disabled individuals afford the services they need to maintain excellent quality of life. For more information on these or other waivers/services available through the Home and Community Based Services Waiver Program, please visit the Department of Public Welfare.
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I am trying to find grant money to buy my daughter a handicap accesible vechicle.