The waiver serves Nevadans 65 and older who meet nursing-facility level of care and would face imminent nursing home placement without it. It covers homemaker services, chore services, respite, adult day care, adult companion services, a personal emergency response system, home-delivered meals and case management.
The Home and Community Based Services Waiver for the Frail Elderly is Nevada's program for people 65 and older who meet nursing-facility level of care and would face imminent nursing home placement without support. It is the most comprehensive public option for staying home. It also has a waitlist that most sites will not tell you about.
What it covers
- Case management
- Homemaker services
- Chore services
- Respite
- Adult day care
- Adult companion services
- Personal emergency response system
- Home-delivered meals
- Augmented personal care in a licensed residential facility for groups or assisted living
Who qualifies
Nevada Medicaid's own statement: the waiver serves recipients age 65 or older who demonstrate a need for waiver services as determined by the Division of Health Care Financing and Policy and the Aging and Disability Services Division, who meet nursing facility level of care, and who would require imminent placement in a nursing facility if these services were not available. Financial eligibility applies, with income limits published annually.
The waitlist, published
| Measure | Figure | What it covers | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| HCBS Frail Elderly waiver, active caseload | 3,038 people | Nevada statewide | Nevada ADSD, Commission on Aging materials, 2025 |
| HCBS Frail Elderly waiver, waiting for services | 2,055 people | Nevada statewide | Nevada ADSD, Commission on Aging materials, 2025 |
| Share of those waiting who have waited over 90 days | 83.6% | Nevada statewide | Nevada ADSD, Commission on Aging materials, 2025 |
Read those three numbers together. Roughly two thousand Nevadans waiting against an active caseload of three thousand, with more than eight in ten of those waiting for over ninety days. This is the honest, sourced reason most Clark County families end up arranging private-pay care while an application is pending — and the reason to apply now rather than when you need it, because the application is free and the wait is not shortened by urgency.
How to apply
Submit the Office of Community Living program application to your nearest ADSD office, or call and give the information to an intake team member. The Las Vegas Regional Office is at 7150 Pollock Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89119, (702) 486-3545. DHCFP administers the waiver; ADSD operates it, does the eligibility assessments and provides case management.
The state-funded fallback if you are not Medicaid eligible
COPE — the Community Options Program for the Elderly — serves Nevadans 65+ who meet nursing-home level of care but are not Medicaid eligible, covering personal care, homemaker services, adult day care, companion services, respite, chore service and a personal emergency response system. Be realistic about scale: its statewide active caseload was 41 people in the same report. More on Nevada's state programs.
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Common questions
Is there a waitlist for Nevada's Frail Elderly waiver?
Yes. ADSD's June 2025 caseload report shows 3,038 people active and 2,055 people waiting statewide, with 83.6% of those waiting more than ninety days.
Who qualifies for the Frail Elderly waiver?
Nevadans 65 or older who meet nursing facility level of care, who would require imminent nursing facility placement without these services, and who are financially eligible. ADSD performs the assessment.
Sources for this page
- Combined Caseload Statistics, June 2025 — Nevada ADSD, Commission on Aging materials, 2025. Statewide figures; the document contains no county-level breakdown.
- Home and Community Based Services Waiver for the Frail Elderly — Nevada Medicaid, 2026.
- HCBS Waiver for the Frail Elderly — Nevada Aging and Disability Services Division, 2026.
- Community Options Program for the Elderly (COPE) — Nevada ADSD, 2026.
Reviewed by the Vegas Senior Advisor care team. Last updated November 11, 2026. Spot something wrong? Call (725) 465-8617 and we will correct it within one business day.
