Given the world’s current climate, more younger family members may become prominent in their loved ones’ ongoing long-term care on top of the increasing senior population in the United States.
As age increases and abilities decrease, many people find themselves needing help with daily tasks – such as cooking, cleaning, grocery shopping, going to doctor’s appointments, among other personal responsibilities. Altogether caring for someone else’s basic daily needs can be too overwhelming and time-consuming for family members.
In New York State, to offset the time commitment of caring for a loved one daily, the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program (CDPAP) provides compensation to family caregivers through their parent or other loved one’s Medicaid plan.
Since being enacted in 1995, CDPAP has enabled families to pursue home care options for their loved ones instead of seeking placement in a long-term care facility. CDPAP provides peace of mind for families and individuals as they approach later life stages and maybe a more comfortable option for all parties involved.
How do I know if I/my loved one are eligible for CDPAP?
To qualify, the patient/person receiving the care would need to be:
- Actively enrolled in a Medicaid plan
- In a stable medical condition, which may require ongoing home health care services – and would require the help of a personal care aide, home health care service, or nurse
- Able to direct their care or have a designated Power of Attorney or Advance Directive spell out care needs and expectations
For a full scope of procedures and requirements, please be sure to look here!
How does CDPAP Enrollment work?
First, you will need the care recipient’s doctor, likely a primary care physician, to submit a Physician’s Order for Services directly to Medicaid. From there, Medicaid will dispatch a nurse to come now to your home to evaluate the patient’s overall needs. Based on the nurse’s evaluation, the care patient will be approved for a certain number of service hours that their family member/caregiver will be compensated for.
Once the care recipient is approved through Medicaid for services, the care recipient and their family will be asked to choose a Financial Intermediary (a home health care agency contracted through Medicaid) that will track timesheets, distribute pay, provide tax documents, and act as a Human Resources department.
The care patient should be actively involved in CDPAP care planning.
A noteworthy difference between an in-home health care option utilizing the CDPAP through Medicaid versus an outpatient facility is the level of input the care recipient can have. Because the care patient and CDPAP are typically family members, we encourage families to have open and honest conversations with their loved ones regarding their wishes for care. Discuss the care patient’s tasks each day and go over any extra duties such as grocery shopping, upcoming appointments, etc. Creating checklists and monthly calendars can help keep everyone on the same page and make the care patient feel the most comfortable about their new level of care.
New York’s CDPAP has proven to be an extremely successful program over the last 25 years. While New Millenium Home Care does not participate in the CDPAP program with Medicaid, our primary goal is to be a community resource and help guide families towards the solution that works best for their family.
If you have questions about CDPAP or would like to explore other senior health home care needs in Brooklyn, New York City, or throughout the 5 Burroughs in NY, please contact us by phone today at (718) 575-8191 or by email at info@newmilleniumhc.com.
