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Connecticut Personal Care Assistance (PCA) Program
Overview of the Personal Care Attendant Program
The PCA Program is designed for Connecticut seniors that require assistance with their activities of daily living. Based on the national Cash and Counseling project, this program allows for consumer or participant direction. This means participants are allocated the funds that the state would otherwise spend on personal care service providers. Participants then choose their own care providers and payments are made to them through a fiscal intermediary. At the time of writing, Allied Community Services was serving in this capacity.
Cash and counseling programs such as CT’s PCA program are popular because family members can be paid to work as caregivers or Personal Care Attendants. In Connecticut, adult children can be paid to provide care, but spouses and legal guardians cannot.
Qualifications for the Personal Care Attendant Program
PCA Program participants must be aged 65 or older and in need of assistance with their activities of daily living such as bathing, eating, meal preparation or administration of any prescription drugs. In addition they must be qualified for the Connecticut Home Care Program for Elders program.
This program is open to both Medicaid and non-Medicaid qualified individuals. Qualifying for Medicaid is a complicated process involving a review of a family’s income, assets and asset transfers as far back as 5 years. Rules change frequently and there are many exceptions, but typically monthly income cannot exceed $2,000 and “countable asset” limits, excluding the car and home, range from $2,000 to $8,000.
Not qualifying for Medicaid can be devastating to the comfort of an individual, their family’s finances and even their health. For these reasons, Medicaid planners exist to ensure families have the best chance of acceptance into the program. With care costing $1000’s / month, there is a strong incentive to use a Medicaid Planner. Find assistance applying for Medicaid.
This program is open to both Medicaid and non-Medicaid qualified individuals. Qualifying for Medicaid is a complicated process involving a review of a family’s income, assets and asset transfers as far back as 5 years. Rules change frequently and there are many exceptions, but typically monthly income cannot exceed $2,000 and “countable asset” limits, excluding the car and home, range from $2,000 to $8,000.
Not qualifying for Medicaid can be devastating to the comfort of an individual, their family’s finances and even their health. For these reasons, Medicaid planners exist to ensure families have the best chance of acceptance into the program. With care costing $1000’s / month, there is a strong incentive to use a Medicaid Planner. Find assistance applying for Medicaid.
Benefits / Services Covered by the PCA Program
In addition to personal care services to help the elderly with their activities of daily living, the PCA program will pay for Personal Emergency Response, meal preparation and delivery and adult day care.
How to Apply for the Personal Care Attendant Program
More information about the PCA program can be found on the State of Connecticut webpage or by calling 1-800-445-5394
Use our Eldercare Financial Resource Locator Tool to find other public and private programs that can help pay for or reduce the costs of long term care for the elderly.
