Wyoming Home Services Program: Eligibility and Sliding Fee Scale

Your parent doesn't qualify for Medicaid but can't afford the $62,000+ annual cost of private home care. Wyoming Home Services (WyHS) exists precisely for this gap — state-funded in-home support on a sliding-fee scale that adjusts to your parent's actual income.

What WyHS Covers

WyHS provides services designed to keep seniors independent and delay nursing home placement:

• Personal care (bathing, dressing, grooming assistance)
• Homemaker services (cooking, cleaning, laundry)
• Medication setup (must be performed by a licensed nurse or pharmacist)
• Chore services and minor home modifications
• Personal Emergency Response Systems (PERS)
• Respite care for family caregivers
• Adult day care
• Care coordination

The average annual value of services received by a WyHS participant is approximately $1,300. This isn't comprehensive care — it's targeted support that fills gaps and extends how long your parent can safely remain at home.

Who Qualifies

Age: 60 or older. Adults 18+ with a Social Security Administration-certified disability also qualify.

Residency: Must be a Wyoming resident.

Functional need: Must demonstrate through an ongoing evaluation that they are at risk of premature nursing home placement.

Financial: Here's where WyHS differs from Medicaid — there is no asset limit. Your parent's savings, home equity, or retirement accounts don't disqualify them. Eligibility and cost-sharing are based entirely on net monthly household income.

The Sliding Fee Scale

WyHS uses a nine-tier contribution system. Your parent's share of service costs ranges from 0% to 95% depending on their adjusted household income.

Net household income is calculated by taking gross monthly income and subtracting specific deductions: prescription and out-of-pocket medical expenses, supplemental health insurance premiums, and mortgage or rent payments. If the participant is homeless or living with someone else, only their individual income counts.

For a single-person household:

• Under $1,255/month (100% Federal Poverty Level): Services may be free
• $2,418–$3,223/month: Approximately 40% cost share
• Over $8,864/month: 95% cost share

For a two-person household, the thresholds shift upward — the free tier extends to approximately $1,697/month.

No senior is refused services due to inability to pay, as long as program funds remain available. That last clause matters — WyHS funding is limited, and some counties have waitlists.

How to Apply

This is important: WyHS applications are not handled through a central state office. You must apply directly through your parent's county senior center or local service provider. The Aging Division of the Wyoming Department of Health coordinates the program statewide, but intake is entirely local.

Contact the Aging Division at (307) 777-7986 or your county senior center to start the process. You'll need to complete the WyHS Income Verification Form, documenting gross monthly income and eligible deductions.

WyHS vs. the Community Choices Waiver

These are different programs for different situations:

WyHS is for seniors who need some help at home but don't meet the clinical threshold for nursing-facility-level care. No Medicaid eligibility required. No asset limits. Sliding-fee scale.

The Community Choices Waiver (CCW) is a Medicaid program for people who meet the LT101 assessment threshold — meaning they need nursing-facility-level care but choose to receive it at home or in assisted living. CCW requires meeting Medicaid's strict financial limits ($2,000 asset cap, $2,982 monthly income cap) but covers more comprehensive services.

Many families start with WyHS and transition to CCW as their parent's needs increase.

For a complete breakdown of Wyoming's care funding programs and application timelines, see the Choosing Care in Wyoming guide.

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