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Options Available In New Jersey To Allow Children To Be Paid Caregivers For Their Parents
Medicaid Programs
1. Personal Preference Program (PPP)
The Personal Preference Program (PPP) is a Medicaid program allowing beneficiaries direct care. Under PPP, Medicaid recipients can hire family members, including their adult children, to provide personal care services.
To qualify for this program, the care recipient must be eligible for Medicaid and require a certain level of care typically provided in a nursing home or similar setting. Personal care services such as bathing, dressing, meal preparation, and housekeeping would be covered under this program. The recipient of the services (or their representative) receives a monthly budget to manage and can use these funds to pay a family member for caregiving services.
2. Managed Long Term Services and Supports (MLTSS)
Managed Long Term Services and Supports (MLTSS) is another Medicaid program designed to help individuals receive long-term care in their homes or community settings rather than in institutional facilities. MLTSS includes a self-directed option where family members can be paid caregivers.
Like PPP, MLTSS requires the care recipient to qualify for Medicaid and need significant assistance with daily living activities. The services covered include personal care, respite care (so the primary caregiver can get breaks), home health services, and more. Care recipients or their representatives can select and employ family members as caregivers through a managed care organization (MCO) overseeing the recipient’s care plan.
3. Veterans Programs
The Veterans Directed Care Program allows veterans to receive a budget to hire their own caregivers, including family members. The veteran must be eligible for VA health care and require ongoing personal care services. The services that would be covered are personal care, assistance with activities of daily living, respite care, and homemaker services. The veteran receives a flexible budget to manage and can use these funds to pay family caregivers.
State Programs
1. Jersey Assistance for Community Caregiving (JACC)
Jersey Assistance for Community Caregiving (JACC) provides support services to New Jersey residents aged 60 and older at risk of placement in a nursing home but not eligible for Medicaid. While JACC does not provide direct payments to family caregivers, it offers services that can relieve some of the financial burdens associated with caregiving.
These services would be available to seniors aged 60 and above who are not eligible for Medicaid but need substantial assistance. The services covered include respite care, home modifications, home-delivered meals, and caregiver training.
Paid Family Leave Insurance
New Jersey’s Paid Family Leave Insurance program provides temporary disability benefits to employees who need to take time off work to care for a seriously ill family member, which can include aging parents.
Employees who have paid into the state’s disability insurance system are eligible. Family-paid leave insurance provides up to six weeks at a percentage of the employee’s average weekly wage. Employees can apply for benefits through the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
Private Pay and Long-Term Care Insurance
In addition to public programs, families may explore private pay options and long-term care insurance policies that cover family caregiving expenses.
- Private Pay: Family members can enter into a caregiver agreement where the care recipient pays the family caregiver directly from personal funds.
- Long-Term Care Insurance: Some policies offer benefits that cover the costs of in-home care provided by family members, depending on the policy terms.
Takeaway
In New Jersey, there are several programs and avenues through which you can be compensated for providing care to your parents, primarily through Medicaid programs like the Personal Preference Program (PPP) and Managed Long Term Services and Supports (MLTSS), as well as state and veterans’ programs. Additionally, Paid Family Leave Insurance and private pay arrangements offer further options. It is essential to carefully review each program’s eligibility requirements and application processes to determine the best fit for your family’s needs. Consulting with a New Jersey elder law attorney can also provide personalized guidance and assist you with planning for this caregiving decision. Contact our office for an initial consultation.