The Living Choices waiver for central Arkansas families

What is the Living Choices waiver in Arkansas?

Living Choices is Arkansas Medicaid's assisted living waiver: it pays for personal care and limited nursing services for eligible people who live in apartment-style units of participating Level II assisted living facilities, as an alternative to a nursing home.

The Division of Aging, Adult and Behavioral Health Services runs it under the Division of Medical Services. It pays the facility for services. Room and board, meaning rent and meals, stay with the resident.

Who qualifies for Living Choices?

Someone who is 65 or older, or 21 to 64 with a physical disability, meets Medicaid's financial criteria and the nursing facility level-of-care criteria, and needs at least one of the waiver's services.

The 2026 income ceiling for Medicaid long-term care is $2,982 a month, three times the SSI benefit rate, and countable resources are limited to $2,000 for an individual. Arkansas is an income-cap state, so a person with more income generally needs a Qualified Income Trust to qualify.

What does Living Choices pay for?

Attendant care, therapeutic activities, nursing evaluations and limited nursing, medication oversight and help arranging transportation, provided through the assisted living facility, plus extra prescriptions beyond the regular Medicaid limit.

• Attendant care for eating, dressing, bathing, hygiene and mobility
• Therapeutic social and recreational activities
• Quarterly nursing evaluations by a registered nurse
• Limited nursing services, including assessment and monitoring
• Medication oversight through reminders and cues
• Help arranging non-emergency, non-medical transportation
• Extended prescription drugs: three prescriptions a month beyond the regular Medicaid pharmacy limit

Source: Arkansas DHS, Living Choices Assisted Living Waiver detailed fact sheet.

Which Little Rock buildings take Living Choices?

Only Level II facilities can, and only those that choose to participate, so ask each Level II building directly whether it has Living Choices apartments and whether any are open.

Level II buildings in the six counties, by licensed beds: Fox Ridge Bryant (130); Fox Ridge Chenal (130); Pinnacle Point at Bryant (111); The Blake at Chenal Valley (111); Ridgemere (100); Saline Senior Living Communities (100); Brookdale Chenal Heights (98); The Manor (90); The Manor at Benton (90); Fox Ridge North Little Rock (86); Crestview Assisted Living Center (85); Maumelle ALF OPCO (80); StoneBridge of Cabot (80); StoneBridge of Conway (80); Mira at Maumelle (75); New Horizon Senior Living (75); Woodland Heights (75); Chapters Living of Little Rock (74); Little Rock Senior Community (74); Crown Point Retirement Center (69); Parkway Heights (64); Ginny & Bob Shell Alzheimer's Center (60); Willow Grove of Maumelle (60); Four Seasons (50); Village Park of Conway (47); Wellington Woods Assisted Living Center (40); West Dixon Assisted Living (32).

Participating buildings often limit how many Medicaid apartments they hold. Ask whether a resident who starts out paying privately can convert to Living Choices later without moving.

How do we apply for Living Choices?

Apply for Medicaid through Access Arkansas online or at 1-855-372-1084, and call DAABHS at 1-866-801-3435 with waiver questions; a nursing facility level-of-care assessment is part of the process.

Start before savings run out. Medicaid looks back 60 months at transfers for less than fair value, and an application that needs a Qualified Income Trust takes extra time to set up.