Home- and Community-Based Services Waivers for Persons with Acquired Brain Injury

ABI Waivers
Questions and Answers

MassHealth 					Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission
Commonwealth of Massachusetts 			Commonwealth of Massachusetts
EOHHS								EOHHS
www.mass.gov/masshealth					www.mass.gov/mrc



Two waivers for people who have experienced an acquired brain injury (ABI) are available through MassHealth. 

What is MassHealth?

MassHealth is a program run by the 
Commonwealth of Massachusetts that 
pays for health care for people living in 
Massachusetts who have medium, low, or 
no income. 

What are the ABI waivers?

The two home- and community-based 
services waivers will help Medicaid-eligible 
persons with ABI move to the community. 
If you live in a nursing home or chronic or 
rehabilitation hospital and have an ABI, 
you may want to apply for one of these 
waivers. The waivers will be operated 
by the Massachusetts Rehabilitation 
Commission (MRC), and offer resources 
providing ongoing services in the 
community.

The ABI Waiver with Residential 
Habilitation (ABI-RH) is for individuals 
who need placement in a residence that 
has supervision and staffing 24 hours a 
day, seven days a week.

The ABI Waiver with No Residential 
Habilitation (ABI-N) is for individuals 
who can move to their own home or 
apartment or to the home of someone 
else.

Am I eligible?

To qualify for one of the ABI waivers, you 
must

• be living in a nursing home or chronic 
or rehabilitation hospital and have lived 
there for at least 90 days;

• have experienced an acquired brain 
injury at age 22 or older. An acquired 
brain injury can result from a stroke, 
brain trauma, infection of the brain 
(such as encephalitis), brain tumor, or 
anoxia (lack of oxygen);

• meet the clinical requirements and be 
in need of the waiver services that are 
available;

• meet the financial requirements to 
qualify for MassHealth. There are 
special financial rules for waiver 
participants; and

• have service needs that are at or under 
the cost limit of one of the ABI waivers.

Not everyone who meets these rules will 
be able to get one of these waivers. The 
waivers will serve a limited number of 
people each year.

How can I apply?

If you are interested in applying for one 
of the ABI waivers or would like more 
information, please call ABI Waiver 
Information toll-free at 1-866-281-5602 
(TTY: 1-800-596-1746 for people who are 
deaf, hard of hearing, or speech disabled).

MassHealth is working with the University 
of Massachusetts. Staff of the UMass ABI 
Waiver Unit will contact you when they 
have received your application. They will 
process the application.

If I am eligible for a waiver, 
what can I expect?

If you are eligible for one of the ABI 
waivers, you will choose or be assigned 
a case manager. The case manager will 
help you decide on your preferences, 
needs, and goals and help you make an 
Individual Service Plan (ISP). The ISP 
lists the services and supports that will 
help you live in the community. Your case 
manager will set up your waiver services 
for you.






What services can I get 
through the ABI waivers?

The ABI-RH Waiver has the following 
services: 

• residential habilitation

• shared living–24 hour supports

• assisted living services 

• day services

• supported employment

• transportation

• occupational therapy

• physical therapy

• speech therapy

• specialized medical equipment

• transitional assistance

The ABI-N Waiver has the following 
services:

• day services

• supported employment

• transportation

• occupational therapy

• physical therapy

• speech therapy

• specialized medical equipment

• transitional assistance

• homemaker

• personal care

• adult companion

• chore

• home accessibility adaptations

• individual support and community 
habilitation

• respite

How can I get more 
information?

You can get more information 
by calling ABI Waiver Information 
at 1-866-281-5602. (TTY: 1-800-
596-1746 for people who are deaf, 
hard of hearing, or speech disabled). Or 
you can send an e-mail to ABIinfo@
umassmed.edu to get answers to 
your questions. More information is also 
available online at www.mass.gov/mrc. 

Home- and Community-Based 
Services Waivers for Persons 
with Acquired Brain Injury



ABI-B (Rev. 03/13)