Through the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program (CDPAP), patients can hire their family members or friends to work as caregivers or personal assistants and get paid. If you wish to join this innovative program as a salaried caregiver, you need to take certain steps, including taking a drug test.

The next section provides specific information about what you need to do to be a CDPAP caregiver.

Steps to Become a Personal Assistant or CDPAP Caregiver

The CDPAP program involves two primary parts: the personal assistant or CDPAP caregiver and the consumer.

To become a CDPAP caregiver:

1.    You need a consumer or patient who is eligible under Medicaid to hire a caregiver. Thus, they must be willing to hire your caregiving services because it is the consumer who initiates the CDPAP program.

2.    You must contact the fiscal intermediary of the consumer’s choosing. You will need to provide the fiscal intermediary with your social security card, identification documents, and proof of residency. Remember, it is the fiscal intermediary who will be responsible for paying your wages and benefits.

3.    You must undergo a pre-employment physical examination. Your caregiving role involves some physical duties. That’s why you’re expected to be physically fit. This is a basic physical test that you can undergo under the watch of your own doctor. The exam seeks to ensure that you’re physically capable of caring for a patient. This means that you don’t have physical limitations that may hamper your ability to render caregiving services.

During the physical exam, the doctor will:

·   Analyze your heart and lungs using a stethoscope

·   Check your blood pressure

·   Conduct eye, ear, nose, and throat examination

·   Conduct blood tests

·   Drug screening

·   Conduct screening for illnesses like rubeola and rubella

In the end, you must complete the payroll papers to receive your wages and benefits from the fiscal intermediary. Because the consumer or patient initiates the CDPAP program, he or she must also take some steps to get everything moving.

Next, we’ll discuss the process of hiring a CDPAP caregiver.

Steps to Get a CDPAP Caregiver

The consumer is the patient who needs care. The following steps outline the process of getting a caregiver under CDPAP.

1.      You must qualify for Medicaid. As such, you should already be enrolled in Medicaid or be willing to join some form of Medicaid Managed Care. 

2.      The consumer is responsible for initiating the CDPAP program. Thus, you need to contact your insurance provider and inform them of your interest in the CDPAP program.

3.      You can pick a fiscal intermediary at https://www.freedomcareny.com/ if you don’t have one. Fiscal intermediaries work with the federal government to administer Medicaid services and benefits within a specific geographical area. 

4.      The CDPAP program allows you to choose your preferred caregiver, including your family members or friends. Obviously, you may have several people in mind. This is the time to conduct recruitment by interviewing and screening your potential personal assistants.

5.      Once you’ve picked your preferred caregiver, you can notify him or her to register with your chosen planner or fiscal intermediary. This is the entity that will be responsible for paying your personal assistant.

6.      CDPAP regulations require the patient to show evidence that they need assistance with their daily living activities. So your health planner or intermediary will provide you with a Medical Order for Home Care form, which should be completed by your doctor before you return it to your health planner.

7.      After processing the documents and, if authorized, the intermediary will arrange for an in-home assessment accompanied by a certified nurse. The purpose will be to confirm that you truly need caregiving services. You can expect two assessments: one from the state (Maximus) and another from your health plan.

8.      Your health plan will inform you and your chosen fiscal intermediary about the successful approval of your request for a personal assistant. They will also indicate the number of hours per week your CDPAP caregiver is expected to work for you.

9.      In the end, your health plan will send an official approval for CDPAP services both to you and the fiscal intermediary, which marks the onset of your CDPAP program.

Do I need a Background Check?

A background check is not required if you’re a prospective caregiver looking to provide caregiving services under the CDPAP program. This only applies to home care aides employed through agencies.

Why Do CDPAP Caregivers Need to Take a Drug Test?

As a CDPAP caregiver, you are subjected to a drug screening test to ensure you can provide care to a patient without requiring the help of a drug. The drug screening checks for these eight drugs in your blood:

·    Cocaine

·    Barbiturate

·    Amphetamines

·    Opiates

·    Cannabinoids (THC)

·    Benzodiazepines

·    Phencyclidine

·    Methadone

Given that most patients who require personal assistants are often on prescribed medications, ensuring that you’re not a drug user also assures the fiscal intermediary that you won’t steal the patient’s medications.

How Do I Apply For CDPAP?

The CDPAP application process is complicated without professional assistance. Get in touch with https://www.freedomcareny.com/ today to help speed up your application process.

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