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Eligibility Requirements for Receiving Personal Care Assistant (PCA) Services in Minnesota

September 18, 2020

In today’s blog, we'll explore Personal Care Assistant (PCA) qualifications in Minnesota. This can be a vital piece of the puzzle when paying for PCA services!

Being a PCA recipient entitles you to a type of home care assistance that supports individuals living in Minnesota with non-medical, health-related needs and daily activities. The goal of PCA services, as with other homecare service options, is to help individuals live independently in their homes and community, as opposed to a facility.

PCA qualifications include individuals of all ages with special healthcare needs. If you want to know how to get started with PCA services, take a look at the following criteria for each PCA Minnesota Program.

Participating Programs

For PCA eligibility, you first need to participate in one of the following four programs:

1) Minnesota Medicaid (also known as Medical Assistance)

2) Elderly Waiver

3) Minnesota Alternative Care

4) Minnesota Managed Care Program, such as Minnesota Senior Health Options (MSHO)

Each has their own application process, but they all follow the same rules for PCA eligibility.

PCA Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible to receive PCA services in Minnesota, you must:

  • Live in the state of Minnesota
  • Be eligible to receive medical assistance or MinnesotaCare 
  • Be able to make decisions about your care or have someone who can make decisions for you
  • Be able to meet with a Public Health Nurse (PHN) from your county to perform a required PCA Assessment
  • Be in need of “constant supervision” or “hands-on assistance” to complete at least one Activity of Daily Living (ADL) or have Level 1 Behavior

How to Receive a Personal Care Assistant to Support Your Needs 

To check on your PCA eligibility, you will need to undertake a PCA Assessment. During this assessment, a Public Health Nurse (PHN) will ask you questions and evaluate your needs to determine your eligibility for PCA services.

Getting started on accessing PCA services is simple! Contact Best Care, so we can determine your program eligibility and help you evaluate your homecare options. We’ll provide you with all the necessary details to request a PCA assessment, and once it’s determined that you meet all homecare requirements, we’ll train and hire the caregiver of your choice.

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