DDD Town Hall - Parents As Paid Caregivers (PPCG) Update
Agenda
AHCCCS received temporary authority from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to allow parents of minor children with disabilities to be paid caregivers during the federal COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) on April 6, 2020. This ensured children received services during the PHE. AHCCCS sent an 1115 Waiver amendment to CMS requesting to make this authority permanent on September 27, 2023.
On February 16, 2024, AHCCCS received permanent approval from CMS to allow parents of minor children to be paid to provide attendant care and habilitation when the definition of “extraordinary care” is met. AHCCCS defines “extraordinary care” as:
- Care for the member that exceeds the range of activities a parent would ordinarily perform in the household on the member’s behalf if they did not have a disability or chronic illness, and
- Care which is necessary to assist the member’s health and welfare to avoid institutionalization.
The CMS approval limits parents to 40 hours of paid care per week per child. This limit applies when the member is assessed for more than 40 hours of service per week. AHCCCS and DDD have developed a timeline to comply with this requirement.
The Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) and AHCCCS began working with a group including families, providers, and health plans on May 15, 2024. This group focused on:
- Revising policy and procedures.
- Revising and developing tools for use in the assessment process.
Virtual Meeting Information:
AHCCCS and DDD will provide a timeline for the 40-hour weekly limit and an update on the group’s progress.
- Join 2/6/2025 Town Hall by Zoom
- Join by Phone: 1-669-254-5252
- Meeting ID: 161 247 4781
Persons with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation by contacting the DDD Customer Service Center at 1-844-770-9500 option 1 or by email at DDD Customer Service Center. Requests should be made as early as possible to allow time to arrange the accommodation.