STATE OF HAWAII
DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES
MED-QUEST DIVISION
NOTICE FOR A PUBLIC NOTICE
In accordance with the public notice requirement of Title 42, Section 441.304 of the Code of Federal Regulations, the State of Hawaii, Department of Human Services and Department of Health (the State), hereby notifies the public that it intends to request from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), an amendment to the Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Waiver for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (I/DD Waiver) authorized in Section 1915(c) of the Social Security Act.
PURPOSE
The purpose of this posting is to provide public notice and elicit public input regarding the proposed amendments to its current 1915(c) HCBS I/DD Waiver that serves individuals with developmental disabilities or intellectual disabilities who meet institutional level of care and choose to live in their own home or in the community with appropriate and quality supports designed to promote health, safety and independence.
OVERVIEW OF PROPOSED AMENDMENTS
This amendment implements a rate increase for specific Waiver services based on the provider rate study conducted in 2024 and increases in the Hawai’i minimum wage. The rate study proposed rate increases for the following services: Personal Assistance/Habilitation (PAB), Residential Habilitation (ResHab), Additional Residential Supports (ARS), Adult Day Health (ADH), Community Learning Service (CLS), Community Navigator (CN), Discovery and Career Planning (DCP), Individual Employment Supports (IES), Respite, Chore, Non-Medical Transportation (NMT), Private Duty Nursing (PDN), and Training and Consultation (T&C). The ranges within Individual Supports Budgets were revised to correspond with the increased service rates to ensure participants can access the same amount of services. The maximum cost for a Vehicle Modification (VM) is also increased, based on an analysis of the trend of higher costs for VMs over the past two years.
PUBLIC COMMENT SUBMISSION PROCESS
As required by 42 C.F.R. 441.304, the State must establish and use a public input process for any changes in services or operation of the waiver. The opportunity for public comment shall be held open for a minimum of 30 days prior to implementation of the proposed change or submission of the proposed change to CMS, whichever comes first.
Comments will be accepted for consideration from the date when this notice is published through September 2, 2025. Individuals may submit written comments using the following methods:
By email:
doh.dddcrb@doh.hawaii.gov (Please identify in the subject line: Waiver Amendment)
By mail:
Department of Health, Developmental Disabilities Division
Attention: Community Resources Branch
3627 Kilauea Avenue, Room 411
Honolulu, Hawaii 96816
A copy of the 1915(c) I/DD Waiver is available online at:
https://medquest.hawaii.gov/en.html under Featured News and https://health.hawaii.gov/ddd/ for public viewing from the first working day the public notice appears in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, Hawaii Tribune Herald, West Hawaii Today, Honolulu Star-Advertiser Maui, and The Garden Island. A printed copy of the waiver application and special accommodations (i.e., interpreter, large print or taped materials) can be arranged if requested by contacting the DDD Community Resources Branch at (808) 733-2135 no later than seven (7) working days before the comment period ends.
DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES, MED-QUEST DIVISION
JUDY MOHR PETERSON, PhD
MED-QUEST DIVISION ADMINISTRATOR
(TGI1498472 7/17/25)
