Waiver Assistance in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Home Care Waiver

What is a waiver program?

Waiver programs, also known as waiver funded services, are programs for individuals that require long-term care but wish to remain in the comfort of their own home. The quality of care received through a waiver program is the same level as one would receive in a hospital or nursing home setting, but allows patients to live as independently as possible and delay or even prevent admission to a medical center.
Education regarding waiver programs is, unfortunately, lacking. Many people that are eligible for these options are unaware that they exist, and the result can be an emotional and financial strain on patients and their families.

How do waiver services work?

Waiver services are aptly named because the government “waives” the typical regulations associated with using medical assistance and medicaid; rather than requiring that funds be used for institutional care, certain individuals are able to use waiver programs to allocate funds to home health care services.

The services provided by waiver programs may include, but are not limited to:

• Assistance with daily activities
• Transportation
• Physician and nursing care
• Counseling
• Speech/occupational/physical therapy
• Personal support
• And much more

Guardian home care offers services and support via waiver programs so that patients can receive more than just the care they need, but the care they deserve. It is important to note that not all home care agencies offer support through waiver programs. We are able to do so by being recognized by the state of pennsylvania as a qualified provider.

Am I eligible for a pennsylvania waiver program?

The pennsylvania department of human services currently offers eleven unique waiver programs (also called home and community based services, or hcbs for short). The eligibility for each program varies according to age, injury or illness, income level, and conditional requirements.
To find out if you are eligible for a pennsylvania waiver services, you can visit pennsylvania department of human services website, where you can also review the services provided and download an application. If you are determined to be eligible for multiple hcbs programs, please be aware that you cannot receive services for more than one program at one time.

If you have questions about waiver programs or specific home and community based services, please contact guardian home care today.

Home Care Waiver in Philadelphia PA

Acceptable Waivers:

Aging Waiver

Home and community-based services waiver for individuals aged 60 and older
Aging home and community-based waiver services may be available to pennsylvanians over the age of 60 to enable them to continue to live in their homes and communities with support and services.

To be eligible for the aging waiver, you must:

• Be a resident of pennsylvania
• Be a U.S. Citizen or a qualified non-citizen
• Have a social security number
• Be 60 years of age or older
• Meet the level of care needs for a skilled nursing facility
• Meet financial requirements as determined by the local county assistance office

Attendant Care / Act 150 Waiver

If you have a physical disability, the attendant care waiver and state funded act 150 program may be available to you to continue to live in your home and community with support and services.
To be eligible for attendant care services, you must:

• Be a resident of pennsylvania
• Meet the level of care needs for a skilled nursing facility
• Be between eighteen (18) and fifty-nine (59) years of age
• Be capable of a) hiring, firing, and supervising attendant care worker(s); b) managing your own financial affairs; and c) managing your own legal affairs
• For the medicaid home and community based waiver services attendant care program, meet the financial requirements as determined by your local county assistance office.
• Have a medically determinable physical impairment that is expected to last of a continuous period of not less than twelve (12) calendar months or that may result in death

To take advantage of the attendant care act 150 program, you may be assessed a minimal co-payment. This co-payment is based on your income and will not be more than the total costs of services

COMMCARE Wavier

A home and community-based services waiver for individuals with traumatic brain injury (tbi).
If you have a medically determined diagnosis of traumatic brain injury (tbi), the commcare waiver can help you remain as independent as possible.

To be eligible for the commcare waiver you must:

• Be a pennsylvania resident
• Be 21 years of age or older
• Have a medically determinable diagnosis of traumatic brain injury and require a nursing facility (nf) level of care
• Meet the financial requirements as determined by your local county assistance office.

Independence Waiver

If you are an adult with a severe physical disability, the independence waiver may be able to help you live or remain in the community and remain as independent as possible.

To be eligible for the independence waiver you must:

• Be a pennsylvania resident
• Be 18-60 – individuals that turn 60 while in the waiver will be able to continue to receive services through the independence waiver.
• Individuals who are physically disabled (but not individuals with an intellectual disability or have a major mental disorder as a primary diagnosis, or who are ventilator dependent), who reside in a nursing facility (nf) or the community but who have been assessed to require services at the level of nursing facility level of care.In addition, the disability must result in substantial functional limitations in three or more of the following major life activities:self-care, understanding and use of language, learning, mobility, self-direction and/or capacity for independent living.
• Meet the financial requirements as determined by your local county assistance office.

OBRA Waiver

The obra waiver is a home and community based waiver program that may help you if you have a developmental physical disability to allow you to live in the community and remain as independent as possible.

To be eligible, you must be:

• A resident of pennsylvania.
• Age 18-59. Age 18-59 individuals who are currently in the waiver prior to 7/1/2006 will age in place. Individuals age 60 and older will be referred to the aging waiver.
• Have a severe developmental physical disability requiring an intermediate care facility/other related conditions (icf/orc) level of care.
• Disability must result in substantial functional limitations in three or more of the following major life activities: self-care, communication, learning, mobility, self-direction and capacity for independent living.
• Meet the financial requirements as determined by your local county assistance office.
• Other related conditions (orcs) include physical, sensory, or neurological disabilities which manifested before age 22 and are likely to continue indefinitely.