Ohio Medicaid Meal Delivery
You can receive home delivered meals through the Ohio Medicaid Waiver program. Here are some basic questions answered to get you started.
Ready to get started with home-delivered meals? Contact us at 330-515-5605 or referrals@vantageaging.org.
What is the Medicaid meal waiver?
The Medicaid waiver allows states to provide a variety of home services, including home delivered meals. The Medicaid waiver is a State-Federal partnership that provides services to seniors and people with disabilities.
The Federal government provides broad guidelines, allowing each state to establish its own standard of eligibility and scope of services.
The purpose of the waiver program is to provide comprehensive services to people to help them live independently at home. Without these services, these individuals would likely be in a hospital or care facility.
What is the process to receive home-delivered meals?
To receive Ohio Medicaid meal deliveries, you must have a Medicaid Waiver to qualify.
Age 60 years or older
If the client has Medicaid but is not on a Waiver program and is 60 or older, refer to the Aging and Disabilities Resource Center at Direction Home Akron Canton Area Agency on Aging for an assessment to see if the person would qualify for a Waiver.
Under age 60
If a client is under the age of 60, they should be referred to the customer service department for their insurance company to see if they qualify for a Waiver.
If the insurance is Medicaid of Ohio and the client is under the age of 60, they should call Job and Family Services for their county to inquire about a Waiver.
Next steps
- The Case Manager for the Medicaid Waiver program and the client decide what home based services the client needs and if home delivered meals are needed.
- The client is provided a choice list of providers to choose from.
- The Case Manager emails the referral to Meals On Wheels’ Customer Care department for the number of meals the client is approved to receive each week.
- Meals On Wheels calls the client, completes intake, and creates a meal plan.
- The Case Manager is notified of the start date of service so they can provide a service plan to Meals On Wheels with home delivered meal services.
In short, your Case Manager works with the Meals On Wheels team to create the right home delivered meal plan for your needs. Together, they provide you with a meal plan that fits your specific diet and individual needs.
What happens once a client is approved?
Once a client is approved for Ohio Medicaid meal delivery services, their Case Manager works with Meals On Wheels to create a comprehensive care plan.
You will be asked a series of questions that help nutrition experts develop the best plan for your individual needs. Questions might include details such as dietary restrictions, health conditions, and people in your support system.
Once all of the information is collected, you can start enjoying Ohio Medicaid meal deliveries being delivered right to your doorstep.
Please note that we are not able to accommodate food allergies, food restrictions, or food likes/dislikes. You will need to manage any of these needs by referring to the menu or calling the Meals On Wheels office with any questions regarding meal content.
What are the meals like?
Meals On Wheels home delivered meals are homemade, nutritious meal options that help you stay healthy and independent at home.
The team at Meals On Wheels not only cares about providing you with healthy meals. They also strive to provide flavorful meals and a variety of options to fit all different tastes and keep meals interesting.
Therapeutic meals are designed for individuals with a chronic medical diagnosis resulting in more specialized diets. Meals On Wheels offers renal, cardiac, and pork-free diets in addition to regular home-delivered meals.
In addition to Medicaid meal delivery, clients also receive a friendly face and wellness check to ensure they are aging with independence at home and combat loneliness.
You can find our current menus here.
How are the meals prepared and delivered?
Meals are prepared homemade locally in Massillon, Ohio five days a week. With a licensed dietitian on staff, every meal is developed to provide daily nutritional needs to clients.
Meals are delivered by a corps of dedicated volunteers who provide a friendly face during these difficult times. Volunteers practice social distancing and wear masks to keep both themselves and clients safe from COVID-19.
Are there any restrictions?
Meals On Wheels of Northeast Ohio provides meals to individuals in Stark, Summit, and Wayne Counties. Meals On Wheels is not restricted to provide meals due to age or disabilities.
In addition to Ohio Medicaid meal delivery services, our meals are also available to direct pay clients, Veterans’ Benefits, Title IIIC, care coordination, PASSPORT, and MyCare Ohio.