AASD and DSD eList announcement

Date: May 12, 2023
To: Lead agencies, providers, people who receive aging and disability services and other interested parties
From: DHS Aging and Adult Services (AASD) and Disability Services (DSD) divisions
Purpose: To announce the extension of the temporary allowance for parents of minors and spouses to be personal care assistance (PCA) workers after May 11, 2023
Extension expires: Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023
Contact: PCA provider questions — Minnesota Health Care Programs (MHCP) Provider Call Center: 651-431-2700 or 800-366-5411, Option 4; email HCSD.DHS@state.mn.us for DSD-related questions and DHS.AASD.HCBS@state.mn.us for AASD-related questions.

Temporary extension of COVID-19 modification allowing parents of minors and spouses to provide PCA services

Parents, stepparents and legal guardians of minors, as well as spouses may continue to serve as a PCA worker for their family member until Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. On Friday, May 5, 2023, the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) let DHS know of a policy change allowing the agency to apply for a six-month extension of this temporary allowance created during the COVID-19 federal public health emergency. DHS will apply for this extension and is working with the Legislature to secure funding. Providers can continue to bill for PCA services provided by these family members.

Background

As part of the response to the COVID-19 federal public health emergency, DHS could temporarily allow specific family members to serve as PCA workers through the end of the emergency period. People receiving PCA services, families, lead agencies, providers and other advocates have been asking questions about the impact to people and families taking advantage of this exemption when the federal public health emergency period ended.

DHS tried to work with CMS for more than a year to develop workable plans to extend the exemption within federal legal constraints.

Previous eList announcements

AASD LEAD AGENCY ARCHIVE | DSD LEAD AGENCY ARCHIVE | DSD STAKEHOLDER ARCHIVE