Benefits Available for Home Care

Home Care Options

The most popular choice for anyone who needs long term care is to live and age at home. While this is the desire of many people, it is not a practical option given the inability to perform daily living activities such as bathing oneself, feeding oneself and moving one's body from place to place. Living and aging at home is also the preference of the governmental organizations that manage benefits programs such as Pennsylvania's Department of Public Welfare that manages the Medicaid program for Pennsylvania.

There are many programs available that offer assistance to those who are in need of additional care at home. A few of these are: PDA Waiver, Veteran's Home Bound Benefits, LIFE programs and Personal Care Agreements.

At Zacharia & Brown, our goal is always to keep clients out of nursing facilities. With enough time and opportunity to plan ahead, we can be very successful at setting up an estate plan that will help our clients gain access to a variety of benefit programs. We can also utilize these home care programs to keep our clients in the comfort and security oftheir own home. Here is a sampling of some of these programs:

PDA Waiver

PDA (Pennsylvania Department of Aging) Waiver, as it is called, is a long term care program that assists frail elderly Pennsylvanians with the services they need to live independently in their own homes and communities.

Consider these PDA Waiver benefits:
  • Provides an alternative to long term care in a nursing facility
  • Allows you to receive services in your home and community
  • Offers a wide array of services
  • Gives consumer choice of approved services and providers
  • Qualifies participants for other Medical Assistance benefits
  • Provides on-going support and assistance from the local Area Agency on Aging

The services provided include: Home health and personal care services, home support, attendant care, respitecare, adult day care, transportation, home modifications, specialized medical equipment and supplies, counseling,extended state plan physician services, home delivered meals, personal emergency response, and companions. Caremanagement and service coordination is provided by your local Area Agency on Aging.

Life Programs

LIFE programs are focused around an adult day health center where the majority of services are provided. At the adult day health center, the interdisciplinary team of health professionals manages and arranges forall care and services. It should be noted that LIFE programs are a lifetime program, and individuals will not be disenrolled due to a deterioration in health. The interdisciplinary team will ensure that all needed services will be provided for life.

Financial Eligibility
  • $2,000 resource limit
  • Income limit 300% Federal Benefit Rate**
  • Medically Needy

**$2,022/month as of 2011

Functional Eligibility:
  • Age 60 or older (55 for some Providers)
  • Eligible for nursing facility services
Services:
  • Primary medical and nursing care
  • Physical, speech and occupational therapy
  • Recreational therapy
  • Individual and family counseling
  • Health education
  • In-home supportive care
  • Hospice care
  • Personal care
  • Respiratory care
  • Outpatient MH/MR services
  • Pharmacy services and medications
  • Medical and non-medical transportation for program services
  • Adult day health services
  • Optometry services and eyeglasses
  • Chiropractic services
  • Audiology services
  • Dental services
  • Podiatry services
  • Specialized medical equipment and supplies
  • Nursing and medical coverage 24 hours/day, 7 days/week
  • Meals at day health center
  • Meals at home when necessary
  • Environmental accessibility adaptations
  • Nursing facility services

Veterans Benefits

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Aid and Attendance (A&A) and Housebound Pension benefits may be available to wartime Veterans and surviving spouses who have in-home care or who live in nursing homes or assisted-living facilities. A surviving spouse of an otherwise eligible veteran can received up to $1,056 per month (2011) and a veteran with a spouse can receive even more. For more information, see our section an Veteran's Benefits.

PERSONAL CARE AGREEMENTS

In certain circumstances there may be a child or loved one who is available and able to care for you. Personal Care Agreements are just that. They are agreements with another person that you will pay them to care for you. The amount that is charged and how it is paid are all negotiable and may be in a lump sum. What is necessary is that a lawyer set this up for you. By being in writing and done properly, the care agreement prevents the State from viewing the payment as a gift subject to the five (5) year lookback rule. Often the parent will sell their home or an interest in their home to a child in exchange for a lifetime of care. For more information on this, call our office.