Getting a Personal Assistant to help through illness, post-surgery period or old age is a difficult process. Caregivers that are assigned through agencies sometimes just don’t fit your requirement, even after getting multiple replacements. You need more than someone who just helps you physically. This is where family members and neighbours come into the picture. And nothing can be as good as them becoming your trusted, official caregiver.
The Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program (CDPAP)
Medicaid has started an initiative under the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program (CDPAP) for New York residents. According to the official plan, Medicaid consumers can choose any friend, family member, neighbour, etc. as a caregiver. Once registered, these caregivers will get paid for their service, while you get the care of a friendly face.
The application process for CDPAP is pretty simple, but it is recommended to get help from Fiscal Intermediaries such as Freedom Care to handle the process. This ensures that you don’t miss out on providing crucial information during the application process. Secondly, they’ll ensure your chosen caregiver gets paid on time.
Who can apply?
There are a few eligibility criteria that are to be fulfilled to get your caregiver registered. Alternatively, you can approach Freedom Care or other similar agencies that have the capability to fill the form on your behalf and explain everything down to the last detail. You are eligible for CDPAP if you:
- Live in the State of New York and have Medicaid
- Require personal assistance due to illness, disability, old age or a surgery
- Can self-direct and take your decisions or have a representative to do so for you
The following are some of the main advantages of getting a caregiver under the program:
- You get the comfort and care from a known face and they get paid for the help
- You as a patient don’t have to bear any cost, all payments are done by Medicaid
- One of the key features is to get help from caregivers for extra hours with overtime benefits for them
- The CDPAP caregivers are not limited to menial tasks and medications that a classic home aide would
- They can make mentally support the patient to create the recovery period enjoyable and efficient
- There is a certain trust in known caregivers that can keep an eye on potential health issues that when caught at an earlier point can reduce the need for complicated care significantly
- You can get multiple caregivers registered for help. This works great for rotational timings or even as a backup when one of them is unable to visit. They all are given training and paid equally depending on the number of working hours
Who can become a caregiver?
Under the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program (CDPAP), becoming a caregiver is simple. Anyone from parents, siblings, friends, relatives and neighbours can become a chosen caregiver. You qualify to become a designated caregiver if you are:
- A New York resident who is legally able to work
- Not the spouse of the applicant
- Not the designated representative of the applicant
- Applying for the care of a child younger than the age of 21
- An immigrant with legal status and complete paperwork
Once you have met the above requirements, you will need to:
- Undergo training for home care with the help of experts such as Freedom Care. You don’t need any health training experience or certification to do so
- Get tested for TB by a doctor and get proof of immunity towards Measles/Rubella
- Depending on the type of care you will provide to your patient, you will be also taught to perform tasks such as giving oxygen and injections
The role of Fiscal Intermediaries in CDPAP
One of the easiest and reliable ways to register under the CDPAP is to get the help of a fiscal intermediary. These agencies such as Freedom Care offer several benefits to caregivers that register through them. These include:
- Getting the salary on time and according to the number of hours served. You also receive health benefits in New York without any monthly fee
- Certain cities can provide you with free health insurance coverage and any additional monthly fee. For higher value plans, the agencies can get them for you at an affordable rate
- Receive paid vacation, sick days and disability benefits. Freedom Care offers paid leaves that can accrue up to 40 hours
- As a registered caregiver, you are eligible for a 401(k)-retirement package. Top agencies even match up to the weekly contributions that you choose to keep aside for your 401(k) account. Click here to find more information on how Freedom Care can help
