Ask the Expert

Information concerning legal issues or benefits can seem complicated. You may not know who to ask. Now is your chance to Ask the Expert.

This month’s expert is JacksonWhite Elder Law Attorneys serving the legal needs of Arizona seniors including long-term health care planning/ALTCS, guardianships, conservatorships, estate planning, special needs trusts and probate.

ALTCS Refresher: The Attendant Care Program
Families living with elderly parents in their home tend to worry about the financial obligations that come from taking care of an aging loved one. Often, children want to be the one handling the care of a parent at home but can not financially afford to quit their job to do so.  We are fortunate that here in Arizona there is a way to receive reimbursement from the state for caring for an elderly parent or loved one.

The attendant care program, available through the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) and Arizona’s Medicaid program, the Arizona Long Term Care System (ALTCS), authorizes payment to a family member or loved one for the time they spend as a caregiver.

To qualify for the benefit, the person needing care must qualify medically and financially for ALTCS and must be receiving benefits.  Also, the loved one providing the care needs to be trained and hired by a qualified home care or attendant care agency. This training, often lasting only a couple of days, provides the new caregiver with knowledge and training in CPR, basic first aid, and infection and disease control. There are many agencies that are contracted with the state to provide attendant care services.  Complete Comfort Care Solutions, one Valley attendant care agency, is accredited by the Joint Commission of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO). JCAHO audits the agency to make sure proper medical techniques such as the bathing and transporting of patients are taught correctly to their caregivers in addition to the basic training all caregivers are required to receive.

Once these qualifiers are in place, the family caregiver is paid an hourly rate by the home care or attendant care agency for care authorized for the ALTCS recipient. 

One question that often arises when learning about the program is how hospice services mix with attendant care. The answer is that while services can not be duplicated, the two programs can work together. Hospice agencies are upheld by a federal mandate to not deny service to an individual requiring their services.

Who the Attendant Care Program Would Benefit (Make this a separate sidebar)
Today, over 40 million Americans serve as informal caregivers while two-thirds of these individuals also work outside the home.  Two-thirds of these informal caregivers are females.  An average caregiver provides assistance for 20 hours per week while one in five female caregivers provide at least 40 hours per week.* The stress of handling multiple caregiving responsibilities can result in physical and emotional strain on both the caregiver and family.  Added financial burdens only contribute to this strain. Arizona’s attendant care program was established to help ease this financial burden on families.

*Statistics provided by Complete Comfort Care Solutions

Upcoming Changes to the Attendant Care Program
At the present time, exclusions to the program include a parent caring for a child who is under 18 and a husband or wife caring for their spouse.  Both of these individuals are not eligible for the attendant care program but other care benefits exist to help keep the loved one at home for as long as possible through the ALTCS program.

However, new legislation may be coming later this year that would make the benefit available for spouses who serve as a caregiver for their loved one. Please refer to www.arizonaseniorlaw.com for updates on this pending legislation.
Benefits of the Attendant Care Program
• ALTCS member can remain at home near familiar 
  surroundings
• If family/attendant caregiver is unavailable due to
   illness, vacation, ect., another home health caregiver
  can be called upon.
• Family/attendant caregiver can work at home and in
   situations where full-time care is not required, and
   maintain another job or position
• ALTCS member can receive care from someone they
  know and trust

Other ALTCS Services
Besides the Attendant Care program, ALTCS members have access to several other services including:
• Meals on Wheels (Home Delivered Meals)
• Homemaker Services
• Personal Care
• Respite Care
• Home Health Nursing
• Home Modification
• Durable Medical Equipment
• Medical Transportation
• Home Health Aid
• Hospice
• Mental Health Services
• Adult Day Care

If you or someone you know could benefit from these services but you are unsure if you may be eligible for the ALTCS benefit, call toll-free at 1.800.243.1160 for a free benefit prescreen. During this call, a member of the JacksonWhite Elder Law team will be happy to answer your questions regarding the process of obtaining public benefits. Again, there is no cost for this phone consultation. Please call 1.800.243.1160.