Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program
For many of us struggling to navigate through potential homecare options for our loved ones, it can often seem as though we’re speaking another language! Just as soon as we find our bearings, it seems that new terminology presents itself. Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program (CDPAP) is a perfect example of a service delivery model of homecare that comes with its own language to translate that can sometimes feel confusing - ‘M11Q’s’, ‘Designated Representative’, ‘FI’s’ – it’s a lot to take in!
The feedback we often receive from our newer clientele is that they feel defeated, confused and overwhelmed when speaking with elder law attorneys, hospitals, and home care agencies. Does this sound familiar? This doesn’t need to be the case. Premier hears your frustrations, and we’re here to help! You and your family can easily become fluent in CDPAP. Knowledge is power, and we want to help empower you to make an informed decision for your family member, or even perhaps, yourself.
7 commonly used CDPAP terms:
- CDPAP (Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program): A Medicaid funded program in which a self-directing client (known in this program as a Consumer), is provided care at home through a caregiver that the consumer personally appoints, hires, and trains.
- Consumer: CDPAP’s term for Client; the Medicaid beneficiary receiving homecare services through the CDPAP program.
- Designated Representative: If a Consumer is not self-directing, a Designated Representative can be given the authority to hire, train and supervise the Personal Assistant on the Consumer’s behalf.
- FI (Fiscal Intermediary): An entity chosen by the consumer, contracted with an MLTCP, selected to handle the Personal Assistants’ onboarding, payroll, and benefits. A Consumer must choose a MLTCP and FI before beginning the CDPAP enrollment process. Premier is an established FI, contracted with many MLTCP’s.
- M11Q: Medical Request Form for Homecare, to be completed by the Consumer’s primary care physician. This is required for CDPAP services.
- MLTCP (Managed Long Term Care Plan): Once Medicaid eligible, a consumer will need to choose a MLTCP which will handle the management of Medicaid dollars funded by the state. The allotted money will be used to pay for the consumer’s home care services, transportation services, and equipment in the home, among other services. A case manager at the MLTCP will help coordinate these services.
- PA (Personal Assistant): This is CDPAP’s term for the caregiver who works with the Consumer. A Personal Assistant can be anyone the Consumer chooses, with just a few exceptions- Personal Assistants must be over 18 years old and cannot be the Consumer’s spouse or Designated Representative. If a parent wants to be their adult child’s Personal Assistant, the Consumer must be over 21 years old.
Feeling bilingual in CDPAP yet? If you’ve mastered these terms and are hungry to learn more, New York State has a comprehensive breakdown, here. For questions you may continue to have, a Premier representative is always standing by ready to answer your call.
Please note this is meant for educational purposes only.
