Advisory Task Force on Waiver Reimagine meeting summary

Date: Feb. 18, 2026

Attendees

Support staff

Calla Oftedahl, Adrienne Hannert, Anna Yesberger, Frances Van Houten, Katie Pratt and Elian Sorensen

Advisory Task Force on Waiver Reimagine members

Rev. Katrin Bachmeier, Jennifer Ballinger, Tricia Brisbine, Kris Erickson, Linda Fairchild, Heidi Hamilton, Lisa Harrison-Hadler, Dr. Katrina Jirik, Jenna Johnson, Julie Johnson, Meredith McKinnon, Gretchen Spier, Mike Tessneer, Mor Vue, Chad Wilson and Linda Wolford

Meeting objectives

· Share Department of Human Services (DHS) updates.

· Discuss sending a recommendation letter to the Legislature before the bill submission date of March 23, 2026.

· Share Advisory Task Force on Waiver Reimagine work group updates.

Note: The following agenda item was tabled for a future meeting: Confirm a working “process flow model.”

Summary

· The fourth meeting convening members of the task force was held virtually via Cisco Webex.

· Frances Van Houten, the meeting facilitator, provided a general overview of the agenda and shared attendee expectations.

MN DHS updates

· DHS explained that they are revisiting the timeline for publishing the draft waiver for the 30-day public comment period.

Publication is currently scheduled for April 2026, but DHS may push back this date due to needing more time to gather required financial information from the Human Services Research Institute (HSRI). HSRI is the vendor helping DHS create a statewide individualized budget model.

DHS aims to send the waiver plans application to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in July 2026. This date is dependent on the 30-day public comment period; if public comment is delayed, this will likely push back when the waiver plans application is sent.

· DHS provided updates and additional information in response to the following items the task force raised during January’s meeting:

Task Force members noticed that DHS had altered or removed information on Waiver Reimagine (WR) from the website. They expressed concern about these changes.

DHS confirmed that they periodically update the website and will continue to do so to keep the online content current.

Task force members requested more information about HSRI deliverables and the vendor’s progress.

DHS shared that HSRI will provide preliminary information about service mixes in March 2026. Service mixes are part of the budget methodology. They estimate the type and amount of services that people in each support range, living setting and age group are likely to need.

To inform the service mixes, HSRI is analyzing utilization and authorization data and trends. DHS will review this information with HSRI this March then share high-level updates with the Task Force in April 2026.

Task force members asked how HSRI’s budget methodology will address underutilization due to staffing shortages. The task force is concerned that budgets based on utilization will underestimate need, as many participants use fewer services than authorized due to staffing challenges.

DHS shared that HSRI is using authorization and utilization data from fiscal year 2025 to inform the budget methodology. This analysis will identify staffing shortages.

DHS and HSRI will look at utilization and authorization benchmarks from other states to inform this work, as well.

The task force discussed the rationale for moving to a two-waiver system. Members expressed concern that the budget methodology would focus only on residence type rather than need and that WR will incentivize congregate care.

DHS shared that the budget will be based on living setting, age and support range. Support ranges are based on assessments of people’s general support, medical and psychosocial needs. Therefore, budget methodology will not be based on residence type alone.

DHS also explained that the two-waiver system is intended to reduce growth in residential settings without limiting waiver enrollment for people living in their communities.

States are allowed to set growth limits on waivers, but such limits must apply to the entire waiver. Having two waivers based on residence type will allow the State to set a growth limit on the residential waiver without limiting waiver enrollment for people living in their communities.

Currently, the state cannot use growth limits to reduce access to waiver services in provider-managed settings without similarly reducing access for people living independently or with family.

Legislative recommendations letter

· Task force members discussed the desired result of submitting a preliminary request or letter to the legislature.

· Task force members broadly wanted to extend the WR timeline so they can make informed recommendations that DHS can then respond to.

Task force decisions

· The task force Policy and Practice Work Group confirmed it will draft a recommendation letter to the Legislature, outlining the task force’s request to pause WR implementation.