Nationwide in 2016, the average cost for non-medical home care is $20 per hour with the state averages ranging from $15 – $26 per hour. It should be noted that these are average costs from home care nurse registries. Private individuals can be retained to provide most of the same services with fees that are 20% – 30% lower. However, these independents are typically uninsured, do not go through background checks and may be unable to provide alternatives in case they are not available to work on short notice.
Do You Qualify For No-Cost Long-Term Care?
Assisting Hands Home Care covering Hillsborough, Manatee, Polk (City of Lakeland), and Sarasota Counties, Tampa Bay Florida, offers specific No-Cost long-term care at home (services are similar to nursing home however in the comfort of your home) services through select Medicaid plans and for eligible individuals. These services are designed to help individuals with long-term care needs to assist them to live independently in their homes, reducing the need for institutional care such as nursing homes. Here’s how it works:
Medicaid Waivers and Programs
Statewide Medicaid Managed Care (SMMC) Long-Term Care (LTC) Program
This program provides long-term care services to eligible individuals who need a nursing home level of care but prefer to receive services at home or in the community. The services include Assisting Hands’ personal care, light homemaking, companion and respite care services. They are usually called long-term care and activities of daily living (ADLs);
Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Waivers
Florida offers several HCBS waivers, such as the iBudget Waiver for individuals with developmental disabilities.
These waivers are designed to help individuals with chronic conditions or disabilities live independently in their own homes by covering the cost of necessary care services.
While available to Florida-qualified residents, Assisting Hands is not a participating provider of the iBudget Waiver.
Children’s Medical Services (CMS) Managed Care Plan
For children with complex medical conditions, this program provides access to Assisting Hands’ nursing services and other home-based care. This ensures that children with significant healthcare needs can remain at home rather than in a hospital or long-term care facility.
Eligibility Criteria
- Long-Term Care Assistance at Home: To qualify for Assisting Hands’ home care through Medicaid, individuals must demonstrate that the custodial care or assistance of daily activities, like homemaking and personal care is necessary. This typically means that they have significant health needs that require continuous personal care services at home and refuse to go into a nursing home. The patient has a choice to accept assistance at home or be admitted into a nursing home. Almost all our clients chose to age in place and preferred to get care in the comfort of their own homes.
- Income and Asset Limits: Eligibility for Medicaid services, including waivers, often depends on income and asset limits. However, Florida has specific criteria that allow individuals who exceed these limits to qualify through programs like Medicaid for the Aged and Disabled (MEDS-AD) or by spending down excess income on medical expenses. An elder law attorney could assist you in determining if you are eligible or not. If you don’t have any elder law attorney that you are currently working with, Assisting Hands could refer you to one in your jurisdiction.
- Individuals who meet the following criteria are eligible to receive services under SMMC LTC:
- Aged 65 and over and eligible for Medicaid
- Age 18 and over and eligible for Medicaid by reason of a disability
- Be determined by the Comprehensive Assessment and Review for Long-Term Care Services (CARES) unit at the Department of Elder Affairs to be at nursing home level of care and meet one or more established clinical criteria.
- For more information about the Statewide Medicaid Managed Care Long-Term Care program, please visit the LTC website at: http://ahca.myflorida.com/Medicaid/statewide_mc/smmc_ltc.shtml
Pre-Authorization Process
- Assessment: Before receiving Assisting Hands’ long-term care at home, Medicaid typically requires an assessment by a healthcare professional (i.e. a Social Worker or Case Manager) to determine the level of care needed, such as detailing the specific services required like the number of hours of care per week. This assessment helps to establish the at-home care necessity of the services.
- Authorization: The Medicaid Health Plan will issue an authorization for Assisting Hands Gulf Coast as a provider for home care. The pre-authorized services will be provided by Assisting Hands at no cost to you. It is important that you tell the Case Manager your preferred provider: Assisting Hands Gulf Coast.
Partnered Covered Services Working in Conjunction With Assisting Hands
Assisting Hands Personal Care Assistance: Includes help with activities of daily living (ADLs) such as bathing, dressing, grooming, and eating. This service is essential for individuals who need support to maintain their independence at home.
The below services are provided by other providers, who we collaborate and partner with, to ensure your health care is met.
- Skilled Nursing: This includes skilled nursing care provided in the home for individuals who require continuous nursing due to complex medical conditions. Nurses can administer medications, manage medical equipment, and provide skilled nursing care, by an RN or LPN, tailored to the individual’s health needs.
- Therapeutic Services: Depending on the waiver or program, services such as physical, occupational, and speech therapy may also be covered to help improve or maintain the individual’s functional abilities.
How to Apply for Medicaid Long-Term Care Services in Florida:
Contacting a Florida Medicaid Office or Managed Care Plan: To apply for these services, individuals or their caregivers can contact their Florida Medicaid office or the managed care plan they are enrolled in to start the application process. For more information, call the Elder Helpline at 1-800-96-ELDER.
- Assistance from Home Care Agencies: Assisting Hands can direct you to assistance with the Medicaid application and pre-authorization process, ensuring that eligible individuals receive the services they need without delay.
- Once you are eligible and have a Medicaid Case Manager assigned to you, tell them that you want Assisting Hands Gulf Coast as your home care provider.
Benefits
- Cost Savings: For eligible individuals, receiving Assisting Hands’ home care through Medicaid means that they can get the care they need at no cost, avoiding the expenses associated with out-of-pocket home care services.
- Quality of Life: By Assisting Hands in providing care in the home, these services help individuals maintain their independence and quality of life, avoid nursing home/ institutional care when possible, and live a more enjoyable and comfortable life.
Contact Assisting Hands Home Care in Sarasota, FL
Florida’s Medicaid long-term care, community-based, home-based programs, and waivers offer significant support for individuals who need Assisting Hands’ assistance with activities of daily living care, allowing them to receive necessary care at home at no cost. These services are essential for those with chronic conditions, disabilities, or complex medical needs, enabling them to live safely and comfortably in their own homes.
To apply, call the Elder Helpline at 1-800-96-ELDER
If you are already eligible, inform your Case Manager that you would prefer Assisting Hands Gulf Coast as your provider.
