Your Handy Dandy Glossary of Home Care Terminology
CDPAP stands for the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program which allows a Medicaid patient to hire his own caregiver who may be a family member or friend.
CHHA is an acronym for Certified Home Health Agency which provides short term skilled care (nursing, OT, PT, social work, wound care, etc.) after an episode/hospitalization. The short term home care services that come with CHHA services are contracted out to a LHCSA.
Community Medicaid is regular Medicaid. It does not include home care services or long term care.
Coordinator is the person at the home care agency who is your liaison once service is approved. S/he provides support and is always available to answer questions.
Dual Plan refers to Medicaid and Medicare combined in one plan for a senior on managed long term care. It is also called Medicare Advantage.
FI stands for Fiscal Intermediary, a company that administers a CDPAP program in NYS.
HHA is a home health aide who provides care to a patient at home. She is permitted to do health related tasks, unlike a PCA, and has more training.
HMO stands for health maintenance organization. This is a kind of insurance plan which sometimes may provide home care.
LHCSA is an acronym for licensed home care services agency such as Caring Professionals, Inc.. The agency provides caregiving by HHA’s and PCA’s through government funded programs, long term care insurance or private pay.
Long Term Care is a general term used for medical and related services to support people with serious or ongoing illness or disability and seniors who cannot care for themselves for long periods.
Look Back Period is a requirement for acceptance into Medicaid home care (soon to be 30 months) and nursing home (is currently 60 months). Transfers of assets and income that were made prior to the look back period do not disqualify the individual from enrollment into home care or nursing home.
M11Q form is a medical form that a doctor signs and is used for HMO plans to keep approving services but is no longer required for initial determination.
Managed Care is a term to describe a health insurance plan, paid for privately or by Medicaid.
Medicaid is medical insurance program for low income individuals which is funded by local, state, and federal authorities.
Medicaid Advantage is another name for the dual Medicaid and Medicare program for seniors.
Medicare is a federal program for people 65+ and some disabled people that covers hospital, medical and related services.
MLTC is an acronym for Managed Long Term Care, a company or plan contracted with Medicaid to service people who need long term care.
NYIA stands for the New York Independent Assessor (NYIA) . New York State Medicaid recipients who want to receive personal care and/or Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program services (CDPAP), and other community based long term services and supports must go through this two-step evaluation process to determine eligibility.
PA is a personal assistant in the CDPAP program who is hired, trained, and supervised by the consumer (patient) and paid by Medicaid through an FI.
PCA is a personal care assistant who provides caregiving and does chores in a patient’s home for a LHCSA.
UAS stands for Uniform Assessment System used by healthcare plans to determine amount of care required in home and community-based settings.
Other articles in our Home Care Series that might interest you:
- Do’s and Don’ts for Conversing with a Dementia Patient
- Photos at the Bedside
- What is Lewy Body Dementia?
- Who can be a home care worker? Part 2. The Parent
- Insights on Aging from an Expert Geriatrician
- How to have a Happy Retirement
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