Mi Via Waiver Renewal 2025: What Families Should Know

The Mi Via Waiver helps New Mexicans with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) or medically fragile conditions live more independently by giving them control over the services they receive. Big changes are coming in 2025 as the waiver goes through its renewal process, and here’s what families need to know.

Who Runs Mi Via Now?

As of July 2024, the Developmental Disabilities Supports Division (DDSD) became part of the Health Care Authority (HCA). Don’t worry—this change doesn’t affect the services your family receives.

Important Dates

• The current waiver ends: September 30, 2025

• Renewal application sent to CMS: June 17, 2025

• New waiver starts: October 1, 2025

• Waivers last five years before needing renewal again

Your Voice Matters

Families play a huge role in shaping the waiver. Public town halls and comment periods were held in 2024, and the waiver application was submitted to CMS in June 2025. While those sessions are complete, families can still share their ideas and concerns. A feedback link is provided at the bottom of this post, so your voice can continue to help shape Mi Via services moving forward.

What’s Changing?

Here are some of the key updates being proposed:

• Training Requirements: Agencies must keep staff training up to date.

• Health & Safety: The state will do in-home wellness visits to make sure participants are safe and supported.

• Rate Increases: Payments for many services (like therapy, direct support, and in-home living) will go up.

• Employer of Record (EOR): This role, which helps manage services, will now be a paid service instead of volunteer work. Families can still serve as their own EOR if they choose.

• Employment Supports: Extra help for finding and keeping a job will be available without reducing a participant’s regular budget.

• Service Limits:

  • Respite care: now limited to 14 days (336 hours) per year

  • Community direct support: now limited to 1820 hours per year

• Legally Responsible Individuals (LRI): Family members providing care must complete an annual form, and hours are limited to 40 per week.

• Bigger Budgets: Individual Budget Allotments (IBAs) have been raised to keep up with rate increases (effective July 2024).

Why This Matters

These changes are meant to:

• Give families more support and flexibility

• Keep people safe and included in their communities

• Make sure services are fair and sustainable for the future

Want to Share Your Thoughts?

Families are encouraged to continue giving feedback to help shape the final waiver. You can share your ideas or concerns using the official feedback form here