There are a lot of moving parts to CDPAP this year and we put together a comprehensive list of insights together to keep you informed on what’s going on—and how these changes will impact your home care agency.
What is CDPAP?
CDPAP serve to connect clients in need of care with an agency who can administer their care benefits. This is usually done through a Medicaid program, enabling people in need of care to direct the services provided with the structure of a home care agency.
What does CDPAP stand for?
CDPAP stands for Consumer-Directed Personal Assistance Program. These are designed to empower people in need of care to remain in their home and community, to choose who provides their care—and how they do it.
How does CDPAP work?
There is a bit of a process that goes into getting care through a CDPAP program.
If clients meet the eligibility criteria (discussed below), clients will submit an application to the correct regulatory body that facilitates the program. Questions can usually go to the same contact or the social services or similar department.
Once the application is approved, the client will be approved for a certain number of hours of care per week or month. At that point, the client can select who they want to be their caregiver and they will be compensated for their time.
They can also begin to craft their care plan so that their caregiver—whether they choose a family member or friend—can begin to understand their social, physical, environmental, vocational, and other needs.
An important distinction to make is that in some state-consumer programs, caregivers are considered employees of the client. Sometimes they are regarded as independent contractors. Be sure to stay informed on the regulations in your state and how these programs classify caregivers to avoid misclassification.
Role of the personal assistant
Personal assistants need to understand and execute on the care plan that the client creates. They’re responsible for clocking in and out as well as documenting tasks completed within the authorized amount of hours for the program in order to get paid on time.
Role of the fiscal intermediary
The role, of a home care agency in the equation, however, can vary by state.
“If your organization is selected to support a state-consumer directed program, you often will not have any direct control over who provides the care or the manner in which it is provided. The consumer often has the right to choose a family member or friend. If you’re a state-contracted provider in this type of model, your role in this engagement could be as a fiscal intermediary, rather than a supervising entity to the caregiver. Some programs differ and may require you to use your own caregivers. Make sure that you understand what you can and can’t do in your agreements and consult with legal experts.”
READ MORE: Breaking Down the Different Methods of Home Care Delivery: Agencies, Registries, Virtual Marketplaces and Consumer-Directed Models
Assistance with activities covered under CDPAP
Not all tasks can be covered through a CDPAP program. The covered tasks generally include activities of daily living or ADLs, such as:
- Bathing or showering
- Dressing
- Transferring
- Continence
- Eating
- Ambulation/Walking
Beyond these six tasks that can be performed by a caregiver, personal care attendant, or home health aide, CDPAP services can include skilled tasks, those that can only be performed by a nurse. Those can include medication administration, wound care, or physical therapy, for example.
Care Plan in CDPAP
Care plans are a crucial element of being able to successfully execute a CDPAP program. The reason a client is eligible for the program is because of a medical need for in-home services from a caregiver.
The care plan is the source of truth for a client’s needs. When a caregiver is clocking in for their shift, they are responsible for completing specific tasks within a client’s limits, personality, and guidelines.
Eligibility for CDPAP
Eligibility criteria may differ by program, but generally, clients are:
- Medicaid eligible
- Have a need for in-home care services
- Are able to advocate for themselves (or have an elected representative who can make decisions on their behalf)
READ MORE: Proposed CDPAP Changes In Home Care
How much does CDPAP pay?
The CDPAP pay rates vary significantly since programs are administered by the state. As an example, in New York, the rates range in between $15-25 per hour. In Georgia, the rate is around $20 per hour. Be sure to do research in your state, and county, more specifically to get a better estimate about how much you would make to care for a friend or loved one.
Does Medicare cover CDPAP?
Medicare does not cover CDPAP. Consumer-directed programs are designed for people over the age of 18 who need care, and is administered primarily through state Medicaid programs. There are, however, certain people who qualify for both Medicaid and Medicare (referred to as dual-eligible) who may be able to access the program in that way.
Is CDPAP closing?
CDPAP programs aren’t necessarily “closing.” Many CDPAP programs are being re-evaluated as budget season comes to an end.
Some states are changing eligibility criteria, changing pay rates and other personal assistant guidelines, or changing how home care agencies are involved in the process as fiscal intermediaries (FIs).
Do you have any other CDPAP questions? Let us know and we’ll continue to add to this list.
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