Apply for Independent Care Waiver Program (ICWP)
This program helps some adults with physical disabilities live independently.
- A Medicaid waiver provides recipients certain services not normally covered by Medicaid for a person with intellectual, developmental, physical disabilities. These services can take place in the person’s home or in the community.
- The Independent Care Waiver Program (ICWP) offers services to help adults ages 21 to 64 with severe physical disabilities or traumatic brain injury that substantially limit one or more activities of daily living and require the assistance of another individual.
- Available services include personal support, home health services, specialized medical equipment and supplies, counseling, emergency response systems, and home modifications.
How Do I … Apply for the Independent Care Waiver Program (ICWP)?
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Make Sure You're Eligible
To qualify, you must be eligible for Medicaid and:
- Be capable of managing your own services or have a representative, such as a family member, assist you.
- Be medically stable but at risk of placement in a hospital or nursing facility.
- Be safely placed in a home or community setting.
Other factors help determine eligibility, including length of time on the waiting list, ability to live independently, and the estimated cost of care.
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Gather What You'll Need
You may not need documents to start the application, but you will need to provide information about your medical history. Additional documentation, such as medical records, Medicaid verification, and functional assessments, will be required during the eligibility process.
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Submit Your Application
To apply for ICWP, contact the Georgia Medical Care Foundation (GMCF) at (800) 982-0411 or (678) 527-0319.
GMCF will ask you questions over the phone, have you submit an application, and schedule an in-person assessment. Based on the information provided, you may be eligible for ICWP and approved to receive services as funding becomes available.
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Next Steps
Applying for services places you on a waiting list. Services are provided as funding becomes available, which may take time.
Once approved and funding is available, participants, their families, case managers, and providers will work together to create a plan of care.
Last updated April 2026