This agency may act as a fiscal intermediary for the Personal Care Assistant (PCA) Choice program. PCA Choice is a service option for people receiving PCA services through Medical Assistance (MA), MA waiver programs or the Alternative Care program. If electing to use this option, the person receiving the services hires their own personal care workers and directs their own care. In order to participate, the care recipient (or a responsible party) must designate a PCA Choice Agency to act as a fiscal intermediary. The fiscal intermediary takes care of billing the Department of Human Services (DHS) for the PCA services and paying the PCA.

A PCA is a trained worker who helps people that need support to take care of their day-to-day activities and who are on a state program (Medical Assistance, MA waiver programs, or Alternative Care). Personal assistance services help individuals live and work within their own communities. PCAs assist people who need support to take care of daily living needs because of disease, a disabling condition, or complications related to aging.

Under the PCA Choice Option, the care recipient is responsible for:
* Entering into a written agreement with the PCA Choice agency
* Finding, hiring/firing and training PCA staff
* Developing a care plan, with help from qualified professional if needed
* Monitoring and evaluating PCA staff
* Providing back-up PCA staff
* Scheduling PCAs
* Supervising PCA staff

The PCA Choice Agency (fiscal intermediary) is responsible for:
* Applying for the criminal check for PCA staff and qualified professional
* Enrolling PCA staff with DHS
* Billing for PCA and qualified professional services
* Maintaining the required liability insurance for PCAs and qualified professionals
* Maintaining the written agreements for all PCA staff, qualified professionals, and responsible parties
* Paying and withholding taxes for PCA staff and the qualified professional

PCA Choice has begun transitioning to Community First Services and Supports (CFSS). Individuals currently using PCA Choice will transition to CFSS at their next reassessment.

• Area Served by County
  • Hennepin County 
• At Home Services
  • Assistance with Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) 
• Payment
  • Alternative Care Waiver (AC) 
  • Brain Injury Waiver (BI) 
  • Community Access for Disability Inclusion Waiver (CADI) 
  • Community Alternative Care (CAC) Waiver 
  • Developmental Disabilities Waiver (DD) 
  • Elderly Waiver (EW) 
  • Medicaid (Medical Assistance) 
• Personal Care
  • Bathing 

* Be eligible to receive Medical Assistance or Medical Assistance pregnant women and children
* Be able to manage hiring, training and firing employees or have someone who can make those decisions for them
* Be dependent in at least one activity of daily living or exhibit Level 1 behavior within the last year, as determined by the assessment

Hennepin County

10/7/2024