In April, Indiana started using waitlists for Medicaid services under the Pathways and Health and Wellness waivers due to a forecasting error last year. Over 13,000 people are on these waitlists, a number that increased after the Family and Social Services Administration FSSA began processing the lists.
New slots became available in July, enough to cover the Pathways waitlist and most of the Health and Wellness waitlist. However, the FSSA will process fewer than 1,000 people per month, which could mean waiting months or even years for some individuals to access services.
The FSSA has launched a static dashboard to track how many people have received invitations for each waiver. Indiana Medicaid Director Cora Steinmetz mentioned that the agency is looking into ways to improve the processing efficiency.
The dashboard shows priority applicants, such as those recently discharged from hospitals or transitioning from nursing facilities, but it does not provide live updates on waitlist numbers or processing times. FSSA cannot estimate when someone will receive an invitation, as it depends on monthly priority categories.
Steinmetz stated that the state is gathering data on the average time from invitation to enrollment and is aware of the challenges faced by those waiting for services. Rep. Ed Clere (R-New Albany) highlighted the financial strain on families during the wait.
Some lawmakers are hearing from individuals who are waiting months while paying for nursing facility care. Steinmetz acknowledged this issue and mentioned exploring short-term financial solutions and using available federal funds from the COVID-19 emergency.
Sen. Fady Qaddoura (D-Indianapolis) is seeking more information on what lawmakers can do to expedite the waitlist processing. He emphasized that state budget decisions will influence the number of available slots and funding for these waivers.
Steinmetz said the agency will work on providing lawmakers with the necessary estimates for budgeting.