From ancient times to the present day, the health and safety of humans have always remained their top priority. In the contemporary world, many health organizations are working on international and national levels, including WHO, UNDP, World Bank, etc. Similarly, New York State is also generous enough to facilitate its residents through an exceptional program named CDPAP.
Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program (CDPAP), started in 1995, aims to provide free-of-cost home health care services to deserving citizens. Aren’t you aware of CDPAP and its scope? Don’t worry; we are writing this blog to provide authentic and relevant CDPAP information. What is CDPAP, its benefits, eligibility criteria, and getting paid through CDPAP? We will discuss everything here.
What is CDPAP?
CDPAP stands for Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program. It is a Medicaid initiative that allows eligible individuals to claim home healthcare services. The factor that distinguishes CDPAP from other similar plans is that it enables people to hire their family members, friends, or other close ones as their caregivers.
The person on the receiving end remains responsible for interviewing, hiring, training, and dismissing the caregiver. So, CDPAP provides eligible persons with more autonomy, independence, and control over their home care services. This way, patients, senior citizens, and other needy ones don’t have to deal with strangers in their daily work routine.
CDPAP services are exclusively designed for individuals who are chronically ill or physically disabled and need assistance in Activities of Daily Living (ADLs). These activities may include daily routine tasks such as bathing, eating, moving, toileting, dressing, and personal hygiene. The recipient can hire caregivers through CDPAP to get help in all these activities.
On the other hand, it is also an incredible plan for those who want to work as CDPAP caregivers. You can become the care provider of any of your family members (except your spouse), friends, or even a stranger while earning a handsome salary. The good news is that, as per the New York State Health Department, you don’t need any prior certification or training to apply for this job.
History of CDPAP
Although the program officially started providing health care services in 1995, it has a long history of two decades. Till the late 1970s, disabled persons in the United States had few options to manage their care. It resulted in the “Independent Living Movement” aimed to empower disabled people to have more autonomy to make choices about their care.
In 1979 the “Client Maintained Home Attendant Plan” was launched, providing needy people with home care services through an agency. Within a few years, this plan gained popularity, encouraging the government to invest in such initiatives. In 1992, the program was renamed the “Patient Managed Home Care Program.”
The existing name, “Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program” (CDPAP), was adopted in 1995. With the passing years, there was an exponential growth in the number of enrolled people. Today, it is mandatory for every county in New York to have CDPAP to empower those who need assistance in their Activities of Daily Living (ADLs).
Benefits of CDPAP
CDPAP is equally beneficial for patients and caregivers, helping them meet their interests. Let’s have a look at CDPAP benefits for both parties separately.
Benefits for Consumers
- Family Involvement It is a fact that people, especially patients and disabled ones, feel easy with their loved ones due to their emotional connection. CDPAP New York, in actuality, allows you to select your family members (except your spouse) as your caregivers.
- Flexibility in Schedule The recipients can set their schedule considering their health condition. They can decide how much care they need and how it should be provided. Moreover, they also hold the right to change the caregiver if they are unsatisfied with services.
- Freedom of Selection CDPAP not only allows recipients to hire their family members, but they can also select strangers as their caregivers. In that case, they will be free to choose the most appropriate person—one who can understand their language, culture, and lifestyle.
Benefits for Caregivers
- Fair Wages CDPAP home care service providers are offered fair wages for their work. They can also enjoy the benefits of being a permanent employee by becoming part of a Fiscal Intermediary (FI). Moreover, that particular FI handles their financial matters, including taxes, payroll, insurance, etc.
- Autonomy in Work The caregivers can have more flexibility and autonomy in their work by setting a schedule with the person receiving care. They can decide hours of care, number of working days a week, timings, and other critical day-to-day matters.
- Assisting Loved Ones Under CDPAP NYC, caregivers can assist their loved ones, including family members and friends, while getting paid. In this way, they can avoid the stress of leaving their loved ones at the stake of strangers.
How Caregivers Will Assist You
Consumers have good news as CDPAP covers a wide range of activities where caregivers will assist you. Here are the prominent ones:
- Personal Care
- Meal Preparation
- Companionship
- Chair Transfers
- Transportation
- Medication Reminders
- Housekeeping
- Bathing
- Eating
Who is Eligible for CDPAP?
Like the benefits, the eligibility criteria to avail of CDPAP services differ for consumers and caregivers. Let’s discuss both to give you a better idea about the program:
Eligibility for Recipients
To get services under CDPAP, a recipient must meet the following conditions:
- The consumer must be a resident of New York State.
- The consumer must be registered under New York State Medicaid.
- The recipient must be able to self-direct or have a representative who can direct care.
- The recipient must be able to make informed choices.
- The consumer must provide evidence showing their need for assistance in daily activities.
- The Social Service Department should approve the recipient of long-term care.
Caregivers should meet the following terms to offer their services:
- The service provider should be an adult who is legally authorized to work.
- The caregiver mustn’t be the spouse of the recipient.
- Must be registered with some Fiscal Intermediary (FI).
- The caregiver must be physically fit to provide services and pass the medical test.
CDPAP Vs Traditional Home Care Services
The Medicaid CDPAP is unique from other traditional home care services, allowing consumers to choose their caregivers. Undoubtedly, it is a huge liberty for them, which traditional personal care services lack.
Let’s discuss a few prominent points, showing how CDPAP is better than other services:
- Under CDPAP, anyone who requires home care services can select the caregiver of their choice, even their family members. On the contrary, traditional service providers do not offer any such option to consumers.
- CDPAP helps recipients select caregivers as per their requirements, like those who better understand their culture, language, and mental condition. While other companies allot a caregiver, not considering these crucial factors.
- No license, proper certification, or prior relevant education is needed to work under the CDPAP as a caregiver. But to work with a traditional company, a caregiver must pass all relevant tests and certifications.
Starting the CDPAP Application Process
The application process for registration under the NY CDPAP program is different for both patients and caregivers. As an interested party, you must complete all formalities to become part of the plan. Let us take you through the process step-by-step for your better understanding.
Application Process for Consumers
- Check Your Eligibility First of all, you will have to check whether you are eligible to get personal assistance services. We have already mentioned the criteria in the above section, and you can get an idea about this step.
- Getting Application Form You can visit the local Medicaid website and download the application form. In the form, you will have to provide information like medical conditions, why you need home care, and your ability to self-direct.
- Get Medical Order Now, you must get a medical order from a physician mentioning that you are authorized to get CDPAP services. You can ask your doctor to send the form to the Medicaid office or any authorized Fiscal Intermediary (FI).
- Caregiver Selection Choose the right person as your caregiver. You can hire your family members (except your spouse), friends, or anyone who perfectly fits you. Provide his/her details like name, address, and phone number.
- Get Enrolled with a Fiscal Intermediary The Fiscal Intermediary (FI) will be responsible for processing your caregiver’s payroll, working hours, and taxes. You can choose an approved FI like New York Health Care (NYHC), which is one of the best CDPAP agencies that will oversee the whole process for you.
- Start Getting Services You will start receiving the services as soon as you finish the paperwork and enrollment with the CDPAP agency. Now you can decide about other factors like how many hours you need care a day and how it should be provided.
Application Process for Caregivers
- Find Consumer To start working as a CDPAP caregiver, you must find a CDPAP-eligible person who wants to hire you. You can be the consumer’s friend, family member, or even stranger who knows the recipient well.
- Contact a Fiscal Intermediary A caregiver should also be enrolled with some authorized FI, like the consumer. For this purpose, you are welcome to contact NYHC, as we will take the best care of all your financial matters.
- Paperwork After that, you must provide documents like ID, passport, driver’s license, and criminal background check to your FI. You may also need to complete a CDPAP training to learn about your tasks.
We hope this section answers your question, “How to apply for the CDPAP Program?” and provides helpful information about the application procedure.
Getting Paid Through CDPAP
The most attractive feature of CDPAP is that it allows you to earn handsome money while caring for your loved ones. By enrolling under this plan, you will never have to worry about the health and care of your parents or other family members. You can stay with them in tough times while getting paid for it.
But there are a few essential points that you should know before choosing the CDPAP paid program as your career option. Let’s discuss them:
Medicaid Program
You must know that CDPAP is a Medicaid program, and payments come from Medicaid funds. Therefore, the caregiver and consumer must be eligible for Medicaid to cash out its benefits. As a caregiver, you must meet specific requirements, which we discussed earlier in the blog, to start earning money.
Involvement of Fiscal Intermediary
It is also imperative for caregivers to be enrolled with some authorized fiscal intermediary. The FI will be responsible for processing payroll and taxes for caregivers. NYHC is one of the leading CDPAP companies in New York, which can assist you in dealing with all your matters under CDPAP.
How Much Do You Get Paid for CDPAP?
The payment rates of CDPAP services vary depending on your county. But typically, it is around $21 per hour. The caregivers are also eligible to do overtime, for which they get paid more than the average rate. You can check also check the latest rates here.
Final Thoughts
In a nutshell, it would not be wrong to say that CDPAP is an amazing program that helps consumers make choices about their home care. Not only for recipients, it also offers incredible earning options to caregivers, helping them to flourish in their careers. However, there are multiple responsibilities involved for both patients and service providers, like managing the payroll, taxes, and other documentation.
New York Health Care (NYHC) could be your perfect choice to oversee all these matters. So, whether you are on the receiving end or want to work as a caregiver, contact us through our website for immediate assistance. You are also welcome to dial our number, “718-375-6700, extension 2915,” where “Ms. Paulette Fenner” will be available to answer your queries.