Getting Paid as an ALTCS Caregiver
Many family members opt to take care of their loved ones in the comfort of their own home. However, they don’t realize they can get paid to do so from Medicaid through a program under ALTCS. If you are not familiar with what ALTCS is, it is a program designed to help those who are medically and financially in need. Do you or your loved one need assistance while taking a shower, using the restroom, making meals, getting dressed and/or cleaning the house? If so, you might be eligible for ALTCS and you or your loved one could get paid to become a caregiver.
How do I Sign Up for ALTCS?
First and foremost, the person you will be providing care for is the person that will be applying. An applicant must meet income, asset, and medical requirements before beginning the application. There are a few different ways you can sign up for ALTCS.
The first way you can apply is directly through AHCCCS. This method requires you to act as the personal representative to your loved one throughout the application process. You start by submitting your information to the program and within a week or two, ALTCS will schedule a phone interview. During this phone interview you will be asked a series of questions to find out if your loved one pre-qualifies. After the phone interview, a financial interview will happen, followed by a medical assessment. The application process generally takes around 60-90 days if everything goes through correctly.
Does the ALTCS Application have a high Rejection Rate?
It is worth noting that when people apply on their own there is a high rejection rate due to mistakes they make. Mistakes are generally made because of the complicated nature of the application and most people’s unfamiliarity with the application process. If your application is rejected, you can either file an appeal or open a fresh application. Of course, filing an appeal or opening a new application will increase the overall time it takes to get approved. So rather than the 60-90 days it should have taken, it can sometimes take people up to a year if they are faced with consecutive denials.
Do I need an Elder Law Attorney to Apply to ALTCS?
The second way many people apply is with an elder law attorney. This is the most expensive option and usually is not necessary unless your family is fighting over an estate and you need representation. Since each application is unique, lawyer fees can add up and this option can cost anywhere from $5,000-$7,000 from start to finish.
We can help
The third way to apply is by using a long-term care planning agency like Senior Planning. Senior Planning is licensed with the Supreme Court of Arizona as a legal document preparer so we can handle any type of application that comes our way. We can help when applicants are over the income limit and we can also help if an applicant is over the asset limit. We can assist with the creation of trusts, quit-claim deeds, and many other legal documents.
The benefit of using an agency like Senior Planning rather than applying on your own is that if there is any amount of money over $2,000 in the applicant’s name, we can help save as much money as possible while still getting approved. Also, since we have extensive experience with the ALTCS application process, our application time is generally much quicker than if you were to apply on your own.
Please give us a call or submit a request for more information if you would like a free consultation.
