Personal Care Assistance Services

Personal care assistance (PCA) services provide assistance and support for persons with disabilities, living independently in the community.

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Personal Care Assistance

PCA services are provided in the Minnesota Health Care Programs (MHCP) member’s home or in the community when normal life activities take him or her outside the home.

The personal care assistance (PCA) program helps people with common daily activities so that they can be more independent in their homes and communities. Most PCA services are at home, but they can also help people wherever their daily activities take them, like the supermarket, at work, or at the library.

PCA services are for people who get Medical Assistance (MA) benefits, or waiver and need help with the types of physical care and other supports that a personal care assistant performs.

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Who Can Receive PCA Services

MHCP members with eligibility for one of the following MHCP programs are entitled:

AC	Alternative Care Program
EH	Emergency
KK	MinnesotaCare for children under 21 and pregnant women
LL	MinnesotaCare for children under 21 and pregnant women
MA	Medical Assistance
NM	State-funded MA
RM	Refugee

Eligible Services?

Activities of daily living (ADLs)

A PCA worker may assist the person with the following ADLs:

Dressing – Including application of clothing and special appliances or wraps
Grooming – Including basic hair care, oral care, shaving, basic nail care, applying cosmetics and deodorant, care of eyeglasses and hearing aids
Bathing – Including basic personal hygiene and skin care
Eating – Including completing the process of eating, including hand washing and application of orthotics required for eating, transfers and feeding
Transfers – Including assistance to transfer the person from one seating or reclining area to another
Mobility – Including assistance with ambulation, including use of a wheel chair; not including providing transportation
Positioning – Including assistance with positioning or turning a person for necessary care and comfort
Toileting – Including helping person with bowel or bladder elimination and care. This includes transfers, mobility, positioning, feminine hygiene, use of toileting equipment or supplies, cleansing the perineal area, inspection of the skin and adjusting clothing.

Instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs)

A PCA worker may assist an adult with the following:

Accompany to medical appointments
Accompany to participate in the community
Assist with paying bills
Communicate by telephone and other media
Complete household tasks integral to the PCA services, such as planning and preparing meals and shopping for food, clothing and other essential items

A PCA worker may assist a child with IADLs when:

Immediate attention is needed for health and hygiene reasons integral to the personal care services
Assessor has indicated this need on the service plan.

Observation and redirection of behaviors

A PCA worker may observe and provide redirection to the recipient for episodes of behavior needing redirection as identified in the care plan.

Non-covered Services?

Application of restraints or implementation of procedures under Minn. Stat. §245.825
Home maintenance or chore services
Homemaker services not an integral part of assessed need for PCA services
Instrumental activities of daily living for children younger than age 18, except those noted under covered services
Injections of fluid and medications into veins, muscles or skin
Services that are the responsibility of a residential or program license-holder under the terms of a service agreement and administrative rules
Services solely as a child care or babysitting service
Services to meet staffing or licensing requirements for a residential or child-care setting
PCA services provided by a non-relative who owns or otherwise controls the living arrangement
PCA services provided without authorization
Services provided by a person’s spouse, parent of a person younger than age 18, paid legal guardian, licensed foster provider, except as allowed under Minn. Stat. §256B.0652, subd. 10, or responsible party
Any administration of sterile procedures.

Personal Care Assistance Services