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Indiana's PathWays Waiver, Explained

The PathWays Waiver pays for care services inside a licensed Residential Care Facility -- not room and board, which runs through RCAP instead.

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What the PathWays Waiver is

Short answer

The PathWays Waiver, part of Indiana PathWays for Aging launched July 1, 2024, pays for care services -- not room and board -- for Hoosiers 60 and older, inside a licensed Residential Care Facility that holds a provider agreement.

Who administers it

The Office of Medicaid Policy and Planning runs the waiver statewide; CICOA Aging & In-Home Solutions handles local case management for Marion, Hamilton, Hendricks, Johnson, Boone and Hancock counties.

What it covers, and what it does not

Covered: personal/attendant care, structured family caregiving, respite, case management, home modifications, and adult day services. Not covered: room and board -- that is the separate Residential Care Assistance Program (RCAP), which must be arranged alongside PathWays, not instead of it.

Waitlist

At the program's July 2024 launch, 9,015 people were on the PathWays waiting list statewide out of 39,842 total slots. Current figures change; confirm today's status with CICOA before assuming a long wait or a short one.

Where to get free help in your area

CICOA Aging & In-Home Solutions, Indiana's Planning & Service Area 8, is the Area Agency on Aging covering every county this site serves — Marion, Hamilton, Hendricks, Johnson, Boone and Hancock — plus Morgan and Shelby. That means there is one regional agency to call regardless of which of these six counties a family is searching from.

CICOA's Resource Center (317-803-6131, or 317-254-5465 main line, 800-432-2422 toll-free) offers information and referral, PathWays Waiver case management, caregiver support programs, home modification help, and Meals on Wheels-type nutrition services — all free of charge.

Start here first. Before paying for a private geriatric care manager, a free call to CICOA's Resource Center will surface benefits and programs a family may not know exist.

Questions families ask

What's the difference between independent living and assisted living in Indiana?

Independent living is generally unlicensed housing -- apartments or cottages with dining and activities but no personal care. Assisted living communities in Indiana are licensed as Residential Care Facilities and provide medication administration and help with daily activities.

What's the difference between assisted living and memory care in Indiana?

Both can be licensed as Residential Care Facilities, but a memory care unit must also file Indiana's Alzheimer's and Dementia Special Care Disclosure under IC 12-10-5.5 and meet dementia-specific staff training requirements. There is no separate state cost median for memory care, unlike assisted living.

Is in-home care or assisted living cheaper in Indiana?

It depends on hours needed. At Indiana's 2025 median of $35 an hour, a 40-hour week of home care already costs more than Indiana's assisted living median of $5,639 a month. Below roughly 30-35 hours a week, home care is often cheaper; above it, a community usually wins.

What's the difference between a nursing home and assisted living in Indiana?

A nursing home is licensed in Indiana as a Comprehensive Care Facility, providing 24-hour skilled nursing care and carrying a federal CMS star rating. Assisted living is licensed as a Residential Care Facility, a lower level of care with no CMS rating.

What's the difference between hospice and palliative care?

Palliative care focuses on symptom relief and quality of life, and can run alongside curative treatment at any stage of an illness. Hospice is for a life-limiting illness when a physician expects six months or less if the disease runs its normal course, and generally means curative treatment has stopped.

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