Legal authority

Minn. Stat. §256B.0922, Minn. Stat. §144.0724, subd. 11, Minn. Stat. §256B.0911, Minn. Stat. §256B.0913

Definition

Essential Community Supports (ECS) program: Community-based services for people age 65 and older who do not require nursing facility level of care (LOC), choose to live in the community and are not yet financially eligible for Medical Assistance (MA). For information about LOC criteria, refer to CBSM – LOC.

Purpose

The ECS program promotes community living and independence with services and supports designed to address each person’s individual needs and choices.

Eligibility

To be eligible for ECS, a person must meet all of the following criteria:

Covered services

ECS includes case management and one or more of the following services:

Non-covered services

ECS services are not covered if they are available through another funding source (e.g., Medicare, MA state plan services, long-term care insurance).

Note: Older Americans Act (OAA) funding is not considered “another funding source” for this purpose because people on ECS are not legally entitled to receive OAA-funded services. DHS does not require that OAA programs fund benefits that are available to a person through ECS. The lead agency should authorize the service or amount of service the person needs within the limits of ECS. If a person age 65 or older needs additional services beyond what can be authorized under ECS, OAA programs may be an option for the person. For more information, refer to Administration for Community Living (ACL) – OAA.

Budgets

ECS has a maximum monthly budget, per person, for all ECS services.

Case management:

For more information about ECS budgets, refer to the ECS monthly limit in Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) Service Rate Limits, DHS-3945 (PDF).

ECS service authorization for managed care organization (MCO) staff only

As of July 1, 2019, DHS discontinued use of the ECS workbook to enter MMIS service agreements. For MCO staff only, DHS accepts ECS service agreements through a process that uses the Service Agreement, DHS-3070 (PDF). For questions, email dhs.aasd.hcbs@state.mn.us.

Tools

The lead agency case manager is responsible to support the person to complete one of the following eligibility worksheets:

1. ECS Eligibility Worksheet, DHS-6683 (PDF). Use this form for:

2. ECS Eligibility Worksheet Type A, DHS-6683A (PDF). Use this form for a married person who has a community spouse.

The lead agency must annually reassess each person’s ECS program eligibility.

ECS financial eligibility

A person is financially eligible for ECS if they meet financial eligibility for AC (i.e., their income and assets are insufficient to pay for 135 days of nursing facility care).

ECS financial disclosure

The lead agency case manager or certified assessor completes ECS Program Financial Disclosure Form, DHS-6826 to ensure that the person meets ECS financial eligibility criteria.