Plain-language ALW guide
Already in assisted living? How ALW might help with the cost of care
Already paying privately for assisted living? ALW may cover care services going forward. What it does and does not pay, and how to check.
If your family member already lives in an assisted-living home (licensed as an RCFE) and pays privately, the Assisted Living Waiver (ALW) may cover their care services going forward. It never refunds what you've already paid, and it never pays the rent.
Important: Three things all have to be true: the person qualifies for ALW, the state releases a slot to them, and the home is enrolled with the state as an ALW facility. Living in the home already doesn't create eligibility, a slot or a payment, and Beta can't promise any of the three.
What changes on the bill, and what doesn't
Will ALW refund what we've paid? No; ALW pays only from the enrollment effective date on.
What does ALW pay after that? The care services in the person's care plan, paid by the state directly to the home. The person keeps paying the home a monthly amount for room, meals and basic care. See current costs and room and board.
What should we get in writing? The effective date, which services ALW covers, the new monthly amount and any extra charges, from the home, before anything changes.
Does the home take ALW?
Check this first. Search participating facilities, then ask the administrator: "Are you enrolled in ALW right now?" and "Are you taking new ALW residents?" Working with Beta doesn't enroll a home; that's the home's own decision.
Does the person qualify?
Every ALW condition still applies: 21 or older, full-scope Medi-Cal with no monthly share of cost, needing the level of care a nursing home gives, in one of the fifteen ALW counties. Full list: eligibility page. Not sure about Medi-Cal? How to check.
The waitlist still applies
Being in a home doesn't create a slot. Beta's ALW team asks the state to add the person to the waitlist in the category that matches their situation; assisted living doesn't carry the priority given to nursing-facility residents. What happens when a slot opens.
Who does what
| Task | The home | Beta (your Care Coordination Agency) |
|---|---|---|
| Confirm it's enrolled and can meet the person's needs | Yes | We check the state's list with you |
| Waitlist request, nurse assessment and care plan (the ISP) | Shares records | Yes |
| The state's existing-resident checklist (Medi-Cal proof, physician report, choice, rights and setting forms) | Completes its forms | Submits the package on the live forms |
If the home can't take ALW, or can't meet the needs
You can move to another home that takes ALW, keep paying privately, or look at other programs; the what if ALW doesn't fit page compares them. Asking about ALW doesn't commit you to staying.
Your next step
Tell us where the person lives and how care is paid for; we'll tell you what ALW could change.
Official sourcesChecked against the official sources
Use the official sources below to confirm time-sensitive program details.
This page provides general California ALW information. It is not an eligibility decision or a promise of enrollment, and it is not a guarantee of facility placement. You may choose any Care Coordination Agency listed by DHCS and any participating facility.