Waiver Priority Needs Assessment (WPNA)

• Iowa HHS HCBS Waiver Slot Manager: Questions about your waiver waitlist record or the WPNA. Email [email protected] 
• Your managed care organization: Questions about authorizations, in-lieu-of services, providers, or managed care services  
• Iowa Medicaid Member Services: Questions about Medicaid coverage, applications, or general Medicaid issues. Email [email protected] or call toll free 1-800-338-8366.

Iowa Compass: Information and referrals to disability-related programs and community resources that may be available while you wait.

No. You can choose whether to complete it or not.

Yes. You can submit a new WPNA whenever your needs or circumstances change. For example, you may want to update it if there is a change in your:

• Caregiver support 
• Health or safety 
• Housing or living situation 
• Risk of needing care in a facility 
• Other urgent support needs 

Iowa HHS will review the updated form and notify you of its findings.

The Waiver Priority Needs Assessment (WPNA) is an optional form for people on a waiver waitlist. It asks about urgent needs, such as whether you have a caregiver, a safe place to live, safety concerns, or an increased risk of needing care in a facility. 

Iowa HHS uses your answers and other factors to assign a priority risk score. Your score and how long you have been waiting help determine when a waiver slot is offered to you.

Anyone can help you fill out the WPNA form. 

You can also complete a paper form and return it by mail or email using the instructions on the form. Iowa HHS will review the WPNA and notify you of its findings.

Will waitlists go away when the new Children and Youth Waiver and Adults with Disabilities Waiver begin?

No. There will still be waitlists in the future. 

When the new waivers launch, Iowans currently on a waitlist will move to either the Children and Youth Waiver waitlist or the Adults with Disabilities Waiver waitlist, based on their age. 

Iowa HHS will have a process for releasing waiver slots that considers people's needs and how long they have been waiting for a slot. They will still use the Waiver Priority Needs Assessment (WPNA) as part of this process.  

What happens if I am already on a waitlist when the new waivers begin?

If you are already on a waitlist, you will stay on a waitlist. Right now, each waiver has its own waitlist. In the future, the waitlists will merge, so people will only be on one age-based waiver waitlist. 

Will people with urgent needs still be able to request priority once the new waivers begin?

Yes. The new waiver waitlists will still have a system that gives priority to people with the highest needs, so they can get waiver services faster. 

If you're on a waitlist, you can choose to fill out the Waiver Priority Needs Assessment (WPNA), but it isn’t required. Once someone submits the WPNA, they will get a priority risk score based on your answers and other factors. 

This score, along with how long they have been waiting, determine when they will receive a waiver slot. 

A new WPNA can be submitted any time needs change.

Will people applying for AIDS/HIV services have a waitlist in the future?

The future HOME Waivers will have waitlists. In the future, the WPNA will ask if a person has an AIDS/HIV diagnosis. 

If a person chooses to share information with HHS about their AIDs/HIV diagnosis through the WPNA, it may help the state prioritize their waiver application based on their needs.