Mississippi currently participates in a Medicaid waiver program that will pay for in-home care.  This is a good program that permits families to care for loved ones in home at a much lower cost than the institutional care provided in nursing homes.  The patient prefers to be at home, the family prefers the family member to be at home, and the state pays about 1/3 the cost of care in a nursing home.  Without this waiver, many families have no choice but to put their family member into a nursing home, at a cost tot he state of almost $70,000 annually.  Unfortunately, this program is currently significantly limited.  A recent inquiry of the division of Medicaid about the liklihood that my client would qualify revealed that they are currently working off of a waiting list with applicants from 2008!  The AARP is lobbying for the state to extend the waiver trial, which will be good for both the state budget and seniors in the state.  Hattiesburg American article here.