CMS Approves CHC Waiver Amendment

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced their approval of the Office of Long-Term Living’s (OLTL) Community HealthChoices (CHC) Waiver amendment. The effective date of this approval is July 1, 2026.

The current approved CHC Waiver document can be viewed on the Department of Human Services CHC Supporting Documents web page. The link to the current approved CHC Waiver can be found under the heading, “Waiver Application Community HealthChoices 1915(b) Managed Care and 1915(c) Home and Community-Based Waivers” and is also available here. 

Changes in the approved amendment include: 

• Added teleservices to the following waiver services:
• Behavior Therapy; and
• Benefits Counseling.
• For Chore Services, removed the requirement that providers must register with the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue and Department of State. They must still obtain a vendor’s license from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
• Added language to specifically address teleservice delivery of waiver services and the Home and Community-Based Settings Rule based on new sections in the waiver application.
• Added language that if a participant has their rights modified in a setting, the Service Coordinator must review the rights modification quarterly.
• Added language to clarify how transportation in Residential Habilitation and Structured Day Habilitation services does not duplicate State Plan transportation.
• Removed and modified outdated language throughout the waiver.

Questions about the CHC waiver amendment can be submitted electronically.