Eligibility and functional review
Published 2026 CFI guidance lists $2,982 per month of income and $2,500 of countable resources for one applicant. It also lists a $752,000 home-equity limit and the same 60-month transfer-review concern used in long-term-care Medicaid planning (2026 CFI eligibility guide).
CFI requires nursing-facility-level care. The published description says a registered nurse performs a functional assessment using the Medical Eligibility Assessment tool and identifies assistance with two or more listed activities of daily living as the relevant standard in that overview (CFI functional-eligibility guide).
Capacity and possible waiting
CFI is not an entitlement with an unlimited number of immediate places. Current program guidance describes limited enrollment slots, an approved annual capacity of about 5,951 beneficiaries, and the possibility of a waitlist when slots are full; it does not provide a reliable current average wait time (CFI enrollment guide).
That capacity fact affects discharge and family-care plans. A person should not assume that a medically eligible CFI application instantly replaces a nursing-facility stay, and should ask the area agency or DHHS about current availability, interim services, and the status of the application.
What CFI does not settle
Community care does not remove the financial, transfer, or estate-recovery questions. The state rules distinguish some resource treatment for HCBS applicants but continue to apply long-term-care transfer rules in that context (He-W 800 rules).
CFI takeaway: CFI is New Hampshire’s 1915(c) HCBS waiver, approved through June 30, 2027. It serves people needing nursing-facility-level care, but enrollment is capped and a waitlist may occur.
Because CFI is a waiver, its service plan should be read alongside the family’s housing and caregiver plan. The program guide says room and board, such as rent, utilities, and food, are not covered in community settings, even where care services are approved (CFI services guide).
Not mutually exclusive. Most families combine two or three funding pillars — this one rarely stands alone.
The
Journey Assessment ranks all ten pillars against your specific situation and
recommends the top three.
