PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:

The Community Choice Waiver (CCW) is a Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) program, which allows recipients to receive services in their home instead of nursing home care. Several services are provided under this waiver, primarily personal care attendant (or direct service workers) services to provide constant supervision and assistance for the recipient when their family support resources is no longer available.

Medical and Social information must be submitted to support a level of care criteria for admission to a long-term nursing facility in order for recipients to be eligible. The recipients must also be 65 years of age or older (or 21 and older and disabled by either medicaid standards or SSA – Social Security Administration disability criteria) when admitted to the waiver program.

SERVICES PROVIDED:

  • Community Choice Waiver services include – Laundry, shopping, bathing, grooming, toileting, Transferring, prepaing and planning meals, medical appointments personal hygiene and companionship.
  • Also other in-home and community activities that allow recipients to reside in his/her home.

ELIGIBILITY:

People who meet Medicaid financial eligibility:

  • 65 years of age or older
  • 21 years of age or older and disabled according to SSA’s definition of disability

CCW applicants must also meet nursing facility level of care
CCW applicants must also meet one of the following criteria:

  • Currently reside in a nursing facility and could be discharged if community-based services were available
  • Be likely to require nursing facility admission within the next 120 days
  • Have a primary caregiver who has a disability or is over the age of 70

The Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH) keeps a dated CCW waiver request list call Request for Services Registry (RFSR).
Individuals are offered the CCW waiver according to the following needs-based priority groups.

  • Individuals with APS or EPS (Adult/Elderly Protective Services) at risk of institutional placement
  • Individuals presently in nursing facilities
  • Individuals who are not presently receiving HCBS under another state program
  • All other eligible individuals on the RFSR by date of first request for service

To add your name to the CCW RSFR or for more information, call the Louisiana Options in Long Term Care helpline at 1-877-456-1146 (TTD 1-855-296-0226), monday through friday between the hours of 8:00 a.m to 5:00 p.m.

2019 INCOME AND RESOURCE LIMITS:

The income limits are $2,313 for an individual and $4,626 for a couple (when both spouses need long-term care)
For this program, the home where apllicant lives, the car used to drive to medical appointments, and other basic resources are not taken into account to estimate the resources:

  • Single people can have no more than 2,000 in resources. Couples can have no more than 3,000 in resources when both receive long term care.
  • Married couples can have up to $126,420 in resources, as long as one spouse at home does not get long-term care services.