If you or your family member is on Arkansas Medicaid and needs a wheelchair ramp, grab bars, or other accessibility work, the ARChoices in Homecare waiver can help pay for it. Arkansas Medicaid is run by the Department of Human Services (DHS). Within DHS, the Division of Medical Services (DMS) administers the waiver. ARChoices lists home modifications as a covered service for adults who qualify.
What Arkansas offers#
DHS runs ARChoices in Homecare under Section 1915(c) of the Social Security Act, the federal authority for home and community-based services (HCBS) waivers. This lets Medicaid pay for care at home instead of in a nursing facility. ARChoices serves adults age 65 and older, and adults 21 to 64 with a physical disability, who meet an intermediate nursing facility level of care.
The waiver covers a service called Environmental Accessibility Adaptations/Adaptive Equipment: physical changes to your home meant to promote independence, health, and safety. This can include wheelchair ramps, doorway widening, bathroom modifications, grab bars, and overhead tracks that help with transfers. It does not cover general utility repairs or additions that increase your home's square footage.
Amounts and eligibility#
Most ARChoices services are limited by an overall Individual Services Budget (ISB), an annual cap of $30,000, $20,000, or $5,000 depending on the tier DHS assigns after your assessment. Home modifications work differently. Arkansas Administrative Code specifically exempts Environmental Accessibility Adaptations/Adaptive Equipment from the ISB cap. That means a modification request is authorized and funded on its own, separate from the budget covering your personal care, meals, and other ARChoices services.
Arkansas does not publish a specific dollar limit for Environmental Accessibility Adaptations/Adaptive Equipment itself, so avoid any source that states a fixed cap for this service. Verified against Arkansas Administrative Code and DHS's public ARChoices pages, July 2026. In practice, this exemption means a ramp or bathroom modification does not compete against your budget for home-delivered meals or personal care hours the way other ARChoices services do.
For financial eligibility, Arkansas uses the special income rule available to waiver applicants. Monthly income can be up to 300% of the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Federal Benefit Rate, which is $2,982 a month for an individual in 2026. Countable resources are generally limited to $2,000 for an individual or $3,000 for a couple, and your home and one vehicle are excluded. If you are married, spousal impoverishment rules protect part of your spouse's income and resources from being counted. Only DHS decides whether you qualify financially and medically; nothing here is a guarantee of eligibility.
How to apply in Arkansas#
You can apply for ARChoices online through Access Arkansas, the state's benefits portal, or by submitting the DHS Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) Application. You can also apply in person at your local DHS county office. For questions about the waiver itself, contact the Division of Medical Services at 501-682-8292.
Be prepared for a possible wait. ARChoices is not an entitlement, enrollment is capped, and a waitlist can form once available slots fill. DHS does not publish a current wait time or slot count, so avoid any source that states one as fact.
For help figuring out where to start, contact the Choices in Living Resource Center, Arkansas's Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC), at 866-801-3435. If that is not the right first call, the federal Eldercare Locator (eldercare.acl.gov, 1-800-677-1116) can also point you toward local aging services.
How it stacks with federal programs#
If the person needing modifications is a veteran, check grants from the VA (Department of Veterans Affairs) alongside ARChoices. Programs like Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) can fund larger projects and may work alongside Medicaid. See our VA home modification grants guide.
Original Medicare does not cover structural home modifications. Some Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans offer supplemental benefits like grab bars or ramps, but this is plan-specific with no standard amount. Call your plan to ask what it covers.
Finding a provider who knows this program: Not every contractor has handled ARChoices paperwork. Adapta Home USA verifies providers' Medicaid Waiver Billing experience, so you can filter for pros who have done this before. Find Home Modifications & Remodeling providers with Medicaid Waiver Billing experience →
For the bigger picture on combining programs, see our national Medicaid HCBS waiver guide and our full guide to paying for home modifications.
FAQ#
Does Arkansas Medicaid pay for home modifications like wheelchair ramps or grab bars?#
Yes. The ARChoices in Homecare waiver covers a service called Environmental Accessibility Adaptations/Adaptive Equipment, which can include ramps, doorway widening, bathroom modifications, grab bars, and transfer equipment for people who qualify.
What is the ARChoices in Homecare waiver and who is eligible?#
ARChoices is Arkansas's home and community-based services waiver for people who need nursing facility level care but want to stay in their own home. It serves adults 65 and older, and adults 21 to 64 with a physical disability, who meet an intermediate nursing facility level of care.
Is there a dollar limit on Environmental Accessibility Adaptations in Arkansas?#
Most ARChoices services are capped by an annual Individual Services Budget of $30,000, $20,000, or $5,000, depending on your assigned tier. Environmental Accessibility Adaptations/Adaptive Equipment is exempt from that cap, and Arkansas does not publish a separate dollar limit for this specific service.
How do I apply for ARChoices in Arkansas?#
Apply online through Access Arkansas, submit the DHS Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) Application, or visit your local DHS county office. For questions, call the Division of Medical Services at 501-682-8292.
Find a verified provider near you#
Adapta Home USA's directory of Home Modifications & Remodeling providers lets you search by state and filter for Medicaid Waiver Billing experience. Our wheelchair ramp cost guide can help you budget while you wait to hear back. If DHS is not the right first call, the Choices in Living Resource Center at 866-801-3435 or the federal Eldercare Locator (eldercare.acl.gov, 1-800-677-1116) can point you to local aging services.
This article is for general educational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your specific situation.
Program amounts, eligibility rules, and application procedures change. Figures on this page were verified against official government sources on the date shown, but you should confirm current details at VA.gov or with the administering agency before making decisions. Adapta Home USA is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or any government agency.