What a Medicaid Waiver Does for Your Child

A waiver bends one Medicaid rule. It lets your child get Medicaid based on the child’s own needs. Your income as a parent gets ignored. The state pays for care at home instead of in a hospital. Your child stays with family. That is the whole idea.

The Katie Beckett Waiver: Georgia’s Main Path

Katie Beckett is the most used waiver for disabled children in Georgia. It is also called the TEFRA waiver. Congress created it in 1982. It is named after a young girl whose family fought to bring her home from the hospital.The waiver erases parent income from the math. Only your child’s income and assets count. Most children pass that test with ease. This opens Medicaid to middle class families who would never qualify otherwise.

Does Our Income Disqualify Us From Katie Beckett?

No. That is the point of the waiver. The state waives the normal parent income rule. Your salary does not matter. Your savings do not matter. Only the child’s own income and resources are reviewed. For most children, that number is near zero.

Who Qualifies for Katie Beckett in Georgia?

The Georgia Department of Community Health lists five tests. Your child must pass all five.One, age. Your child must be 19 or younger. Two, disability. Your child must meet federal disability criteria under Social Security rules. Three, level of care. Your child must need the kind of care a hospital or nursing facility provides. This includes intermediate care facilities for intellectual disabilities. Four, home care must work. A doctor must confirm your child can be cared for safely at home. Five, cost. Home care must cost no more than facility care would cost.Meet all five and your child qualifies.

Is There a Waiting List for Katie Beckett?

No. Federal law bars states from capping enrollment. Every child who qualifies gets in. This sets Katie Beckett apart from other waivers. The NOW and COMP waivers described below do have waiting lists. Katie Beckett does not.

What About the NOW and COMP Waivers?

NOW stands for New Options Waiver. COMP stands for Comprehensive Supports Waiver Program. Both serve people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities runs them.These waivers cover personal support, respite, and community living help. They serve both children and adults. The catch is the planning list. Thousands of Georgians wait for a slot. Recent reports put the number above 7,000. Families can wait years.If your child has a developmental disability, join the planning list early. Do not wait for a crisis. You can pursue Katie Beckett at the same time.

Which Waiver Fits My Child?

Match the waiver to your child’s needs. A medically fragile child who needs nursing care fits Katie Beckett or GAPP. A child with autism or intellectual disability who needs daily living support fits NOW or COMP. Some children qualify for more than one program. Apply for each one that fits. Programs can work together.

How Do You Apply in Georgia?

File online at gateway.ga.gov. You can also contact the Centralized Katie Beckett Medicaid Team directly. Their office sits at 2211 Beaver Ruin Road Suite 150 in Norcross. The phone number is 678 248 7449. The fax is 678 248 7459. The review has two parts. First comes the eligibility review. Then comes the medical level of care review. Send complete records the first time. Missing papers slow everything down.

How Long Does Approval Take?

Timelines vary by case. Simple files move in weeks. Complex files take months. The level of care review takes the most time. Stay in touch with your reviewer. Answer every request fast.

Where Can Gwinnett Families Get Help Applying?

You do not need to drive downtown. The Katie Beckett team works from Beaver Ruin Road in Norcross. It is minutes from Duluth via Satellite Boulevard. Local GAPP and home care agencies near Sugarloaf Parkway and Pleasant Hill Road help families with paperwork every day. If your child gets care at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, ask the hospital social worker for waiver guidance too.

Key Facts to Remember

A Georgia waiver for a disabled child ignores parent income. Katie Beckett has no waiting list. NOW and COMP waivers do have a waiting list. Children 19 or younger can apply. Home care must be safe and cost fair. You can apply online today.