Medicaid home care consumers in New York often find themselves presented with a choice of two very different methods for receiving care. Many consumers choose to receive a home attendant provided by a local home care agency. However, there are also many consumers who choose to direct their own care under the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program (CDPAP). Here, we present each of these options and some of the differences between them.
Home Care Agency Option
For Medicaid home care consumers who choose to receive care from a home care agency, the agency is responsible for recruiting and hiring any home attendants they send. The agency is also required to ensure that the home attendant maintains appropriate required training and licensing. Additionally, should the home attendant become unavailable (e.g. they call out sick or go on vacation), it is the home care agency’s responsibility to provide a replacement home health aide or personal care aide.
Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program (CDPAP) Option
For consumers who choose to direct their own care under the CDPAP, the consumer is responsible recruiting, hiring, and training their own caregiver. Under CDPAP, caregivers are not required to have any license. In contrast with traditional home health aides which are not allowed to provide many forms of “skilled care” (such as wound care or suctioning tracheostomies), CDPAP caregivers are allowed to administer skilled care. Under CDPAP, consumers may hire most family members or friends to be their paid caregivers.
Edison Home Health Care (“Edison”) is a NY based Licensed Home Care Services Agency and is a Fiscal Intermediary for the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program (CDPAP). Consumers can contact Edison for assistance with traditional home care agency services or with arranging consumer directed home care: https://edisonhhc.com.
