California elder care question... Is this legit??

July 2, 2009 9:51 AM

California: anyone know what government entity reimburses the elderly for home care? Is it local, state, or federal program? Or perhaps a charity??

Asking for a friend who has an elderly neighbor that offered her a "job." She can't ask neighbor questions directly at this time, so if anyone out there has insight - thanks!

The elderly neighbor offered her a small job doing errands and helping around the house, keeping alert when neighbor is in the bath (in case they fall and there is no one around to help) etc. Neighbor claims they get reimbursed by the government (or via some entity - this part was vague!) for the hours worked. All that is required is for the worker (my friend) to sign a paper/former confirming the hours worked and amount paid.

Is this legit? What entity facilitates this type of financial compensation?

My understanding of the sitch is that the elderly neighbor pays the worker (my friend), the worker signs something stipulating payment was received, and then payment is reimbursed to the elderly neighbor.

We think it sounds fishy. Or maybe care for the elderly really is subsidized to this extent and we've just never heard about it before?? For sure, my friend has no medical training or anything like, and we can not imagine some gov't entity just doles out money so easily without licenses or degrees.

Thoughts?

posted by jbenben to law & government (8 comments total)

State Medicaid

"State Medicaid programs have the option of covering other LTC services including personal care (help with daily activities such as bathing and dressing), intermediate care facilities for the mentally retarded (ICF/MR), and home- and community-based services (HCBS) under a “waiver” of federal Medicaid rules. Using the Medicaid waiver option, states provide a range of services, which may include personal care; transportation; respite care; and homemaker, chore, and other related services."
posted by nomisxid at 10:18 AM on July 2

I don't know the details, but there is a legit state program that provides money for in-home eldercare. The program has been under fire recently because of abuse of the system (examples of family members getting paid to provide care when they don't even live near the elderly person), so I'm not sure it will survive the whole state budget fiasco. If only I could remember the proper name for it in my googling.
posted by mandymanwasregistered at 10:52 AM on July 2

I'm guessing it's this program.
posted by mandymanwasregistered at 11:06 AM on July 2

I don't know about state Medicaid programs, but I do know that federal Medicaid will not cover "custodial care" which is what your elder person needs - not skilled nursing care, which is covered by healthcare programs, but "custodial care" or assistance with the "activities of daily living". This is the type of thing that people buy Long-Term Care Insurance these days to cover, because generally, other programs don't cover this type of care.

I'd imagine, if your state does have some kind of custodial care reimbursement program, your friend might really need to get certification or licensing to provide it - or at least fill out some paperwork initially; the government tends not to be in the habit of doling out cash on a handshake.
posted by mccn at 11:44 AM on July 2

here's some info. i'm doing some advocacy work for the elderly and disabled this summer, so if you need more specifics i could find out more.
posted by timory at 1:47 PM on July 2

I think it is IHSS - thanks!!
posted by jbenben at 2:37 PM on July 2

Please remind your friend to keep in mind that California is broke, and issuing IOUs to citizens and local governments (see this LATimes article that came out yesterday). The article was unclear as to whether programs like MediCal will be affected (it's unlikely, but not impossible).

So I would strongly suggest that your friend contact the agency in question and make sure that they are still paying out--it would be terrible to find out that your friend can do the job, but there's no money to pay them.
posted by librarylis at 11:00 PM on July 2

....And I wanted to update what I said last night, based on new information from the Associated Press this morning:
"Assistance payments to elderly, blind and disabled people will be disbursed as usual, because the federal government is paying the state's share."

So your friend should be fine, and it sounds like an interesting job.
posted by librarylis at 1:20 PM on July 3