Pennsylvania waiver services
Medicaid Waiver Services in Pennsylvania
Medicaid waiver services are the home and community-based supports that let an eligible Pennsylvania resident receive long-term care at home instead of in a nursing facility or institution. This page explains what these services generally include, how they are planned and monitored once someone is enrolled, and where Alenta provides formal service coordination. It is not a replacement for our broad guide to applying for a Pennsylvania waiver program.
What Medicaid waiver services are
A Medicaid waiver "waives" certain federal rules that would otherwise require long-term care to be delivered in an institution, allowing a state to fund equivalent services in a person's home or community instead. Federally, these are called Section 1915(c) Home and Community-Based Services waivers. Pennsylvania designs its own waivers within federal guidelines, so the services offered, eligibility rules, and administering office differ from waiver to waiver.
"Waiver services" is the general term for the individual supports — personal assistance, respite, coordination, and similar items — that an approved participant's service plan may include. Which services actually appear on a given plan depends on the specific waiver, the participant's assessed needs, and program rules.
What 'home and community-based services' means
Home and community-based services (HCBS) is the broader category that Medicaid waivers sit inside. Rather than paying for care only in a nursing facility or intermediate care facility, HCBS funding follows the person, supporting them where they already live — at home, with family, or in another community setting. The federal framework for these services is described on the Medicaid — 1915(c) Home & Community-Based Services page, and Pennsylvania's waivers are one state's implementation of that framework.
Who waiver services may support
Depending on the specific waiver, Pennsylvania's Medicaid waiver services may support older adults who need help remaining safely at home, adults with physical disabilities, adults with autism, people with intellectual or developmental disabilities, and children with qualifying needs. Eligibility always depends on a combination of medical or functional need, financial criteria, age, diagnosis, and residency — determined by the relevant Pennsylvania agency, never by Alenta. For a full walk-through of eligibility pathways, see our Pennsylvania waiver program guide, including the sections for seniors and for adults with disabilities.
Examples of services, qualified by program
The following are examples of services that may appear on an approved plan under one or more Pennsylvania waivers. Not every service is available under every waiver, and none of them are guaranteed — availability always depends on the specific program and the participant's approved plan.
- Personal assistance with bathing, dressing, and other daily activities
- Respite care to give family caregivers planned relief
- Home-delivered meals
- Home accessibility adaptations, such as ramps or grab bars
- Assistive technology and specialized equipment
- Community integration and supported employment (primarily ODP programs)
- Residential habilitation (primarily ODP programs)
- Service coordination or supports coordination itself
Service coordination
Service coordination is the term used for OLTL programs, including Community HealthChoices and OBRA. A service coordinator helps a participant carry out their plan: connecting them with approved providers, checking that services are actually being delivered, and updating the plan when needs change. Read our detailed guide to Community HealthChoices service coordination for more on how this works within CHC specifically.
Supports coordination
Supports coordination is the parallel term used for ODP waivers serving people with intellectual disabilities, developmental disabilities, and autism, including the Adult Autism Waiver, Consolidated Waiver, Community Living Waiver, and PFDS Waiver. A supports coordinator performs a similar function — helping build the plan, arranging services, and monitoring outcomes — administered through the county MH/ID office rather than OLTL. Alenta's formal, ratified role today is centered on OLTL service coordination; families exploring an ODP pathway can start with their county MH/ID office or read our overview at PA waiver program for people with disabilities.
Person-centered plans
Every approved Pennsylvania waiver participant works from a person-centered service plan — a written document describing the person's goals, needs, and the specific services and providers approved to meet them. The plan is built around the individual's own preferences and daily routine, not a fixed template, and it is reviewed and updated periodically or when circumstances change.
Provider selection
Participants generally choose their own providers from a list of agencies or individuals enrolled with the relevant managed care organization or program. A service or supports coordinator can help explain the options in a person's area, but the participant (or their representative) makes the final choice, and can typically request a change if a provider relationship isn't working.
Authorization and monitoring
Before a service begins, it generally needs to be authorized as part of the approved plan — meaning the amount, frequency, and type of service has been reviewed and agreed to by the responsible program. Once services start, the coordinator monitors whether they are being delivered as authorized, checks in with the participant, and reports concerns or changes in condition so the plan can be adjusted.
How services differ by waiver
Because each Pennsylvania waiver has its own service menu, cost caps, and eligibility rules, two people with similar needs can end up with different available services depending on which program they qualify for. Community HealthChoices, for example, combines physical health, behavioral health, and long-term services and supports for adults who are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid or who need a nursing-facility level of care. OBRA serves a narrower group with severe developmental physical disabilities. ODP waivers are structured around intellectual disability, developmental disability, and autism diagnoses, with separate service menus and cost caps for each. Always confirm current services with the agency administering your specific waiver.
Current OLTL program terminology
As of this writing, the Office of Long-Term Living's active OLTL waiver programs are Community HealthChoices and OBRA, alongside the state-funded (non-Medicaid) Act 150 attendant care program. For the current and authoritative list, see Pennsylvania DHS — Current and Former OLTL Waivers and the Pennsylvania DHS — Medicaid Waivers Overview.
Historical waiver names, for clarification only
Older Pennsylvania materials, and some outdated web pages, reference OLTL waivers called Aging, Attendant Care, Independence, and CommCare. These names are historical: Pennsylvania consolidated those programs into Community HealthChoices. We mention them here only so families researching older paperwork or search results can understand what they are looking at — none of them are programs you can apply to today.
What Alenta formally provides
Within our confirmed 14-county area, Alenta provides formal, ongoing Pennsylvania waiver service coordination for approved participants: developing the person-centered plan, connecting participants with approved providers, monitoring services, and updating the plan as needs change. Outside that formal role, we also offer complimentary initial navigation to help families understand which program may fit and what a realistic next step looks like.
- Developing and updating the person-centered service plan
- Connecting participants with enrolled, approved providers
- Monitoring whether services are delivered as authorized
- Communicating changes in condition to the plan or managed care organization
- Assisting with annual re-determinations and paperwork
- Offering complimentary initial navigation for families who are not yet enrolled
14 Pennsylvania counties served
Alenta's confirmed formal service-coordination area covers the following counties. Outside this area, we may still be able to offer complimentary initial navigation, or you can reach us about our nationwide private geriatric care manager service.
- Berks
- Bucks
- Carbon
- Chester
- Delaware
- Lancaster
- Lebanon
- Lehigh
- Luzerne
- Montgomery
- Northampton
- Philadelphia
- Schuylkill
- York
How to begin
If you are not yet enrolled in a Pennsylvania waiver, start with the PA Independent Enrollment Broker for OLTL programs like Community HealthChoices, or your county MH/ID office for ODP programs. If you are already enrolled, or think a waiver may be the right fit, reach out to Alenta and we will help you understand what happens next, including whether formal service coordination is available where you live.
Referral process
Families, discharge planners, Area Agencies on Aging, and other professionals can submit a Pennsylvania waiver referral directly. We aim to respond within one business day, and we will let you know whether formal service coordination applies to your situation or whether complimentary initial navigation is the right starting point instead.
Call (484) 843-1816 or email info@alentaservice.com with questions.
Frequently asked questions
- What are Medicaid waiver services?
- Medicaid waiver services are home and community-based supports — such as personal assistance, respite, and service or supports coordination — approved under a state's Section 1915(c) Home and Community-Based Services waiver. They let an eligible person receive long-term services and supports at home or in the community rather than in an institution.
- What is the difference between service coordination and supports coordination?
- In Pennsylvania, "service coordination" generally refers to Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) programs, such as Community HealthChoices and OBRA. "Supports coordination" generally refers to Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) waivers serving people with intellectual disabilities, developmental disabilities, and autism. Both roles help a participant plan, connect to providers, and monitor services, but the administering office and specific rules differ.
- Are all of these services available under every Pennsylvania waiver?
- No. Available services depend on the specific waiver a person is enrolled in and on their individually approved, person-centered service plan. A service that is common under one program may not exist, or may work differently, under another.
- Do the older waiver names like Aging, Attendant Care, Independence, or CommCare still exist?
- No, not as standalone programs. Pennsylvania consolidated those OLTL waivers into Community HealthChoices. You may still see the older names in historical documents or older web pages; treat them as background, not as something you can currently apply to.
- Which counties does Alenta formally serve for Medicaid waiver service coordination?
- Alenta's confirmed formal service-coordination area covers Berks, Bucks, Carbon, Chester, Delaware, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lehigh, Luzerne, Montgomery, Northampton, Philadelphia, Schuylkill, and York counties.
- How do I begin the referral process for waiver service coordination?
- Submit a waiver referral through Alenta's referral form, or call our office. If you are not yet enrolled in a Pennsylvania waiver, we can also point you toward the Independent Enrollment Broker or your county office as an appropriate starting point.
Keep reading
Pennsylvania waiver program
A statewide overview of eligibility, pathways, and how to apply.
PA waiver program for seniors
Pathways and services for older adults seeking to remain at home.
PA waiver program for adults with disabilities
ODP waivers for intellectual disability, developmental disability, and autism.
Community HealthChoices service coordination
How CHC service coordination works and how to choose a coordinator.
PA Independent Enrollment Broker
What the IEB does and how enrollment typically works.
Submit a waiver referral
Refer yourself, a family member, or a participant for navigation or coordination.
Questions about Medicaid waiver services in Pennsylvania?
Submit a waiver referral, or call (484) 843-1816 — we'll help you understand what's available before you decide anything.