Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 9, September 20, 2024
A.
Adult companion care services assist the beneficiary to achieve and/or maintain
the outcomes of increased independence, productivity and inclusion in the
community. These services are designed for an individual who lives
independently and can manage his/her own household with limited supports. The
companion is a principal care provider chosen by the beneficiary, who provides
services in the beneficiary's home. The companion must be at least 18 years of
age and lives with the beneficiary as a roommate. Adult companion care services
are furnished through a licensed provider organization as outlined in the
beneficiary's CPOC. This service includes:
1.
providing assistance with all of the activities of daily living as indicated in
the beneficiary's CPOC;
2.
providing community integration and coordination of transportation services,
including medical appointments; and
3. providing medical and physical health care
that can be delivered by unlicensed persons in accordance with Louisiana's
Nurse Practice Act.
B.
Adult companion care services are arranged by provider organizations that are
subject to licensure. The setting is the beneficiary's home which should have
been freely chosen by the beneficiary from among non-disability specific
settings and not owned or controlled by the provider. The companion is an
employee or contractor of the provider organization and is responsible for
providing limited, daily direct services to the beneficiary.
1. The companion shall be available in
accordance with a pre-arranged time schedule and available by telephone for
crisis support on short notice.
2.
Services may not be provided by a family member who is a legally responsible
individual, such as the beneficiary's spouse, or a legal guardian.
C. Provider Responsibilities
1. The provider organization shall develop a
written agreement as part of the beneficiary CPOC which defines all of the
shared responsibilities between the companion and the beneficiary. The written
agreement shall include, but is not limited to:
a. types of support provided by the
companion;
b. activities provided
by the companion; and
c. a typical
weekly schedule.
2.
Repealed.
3. The provider
organization is responsible for performing the following functions which are
included in the daily rate:
a. arranging the
delivery of services and providing emergency services;
b. making an initial home visit to the
beneficiary home, as well as periodic home visits as required by the
department;
c. contacting the
companion a minimum of once per week or as specified in the beneficiary's
comprehensive plan of care; and
d.
providing 24-hour oversight and supervision of the adult companion care
services, including back-up for the scheduled and unscheduled absences of the
companion.
4. The
provider shall facilitate a signed written agreement between the companion and
the beneficiary which assures that:
a. the
companion's portion of expenses must be at least $200 per month, but shall not
exceed 50 percent of the combined monthly costs which includes rent, utilities
and primary telephone expenses; and
b. inclusion of any other expenses must be
negotiated between the beneficiary and the companion. These negotiations must
be facilitated by the provider and the resulting agreement must be included in
the written agreement and in the beneficiary's CPOC.
D. Companion Responsibilities
1. The companion is responsible for:
a. participating in, and abiding by, the
CPOC;
b. maintaining records in
accordance with state and provider requirements; and
c. purchasing his/her own food and personal
care items.
2. The
companion is an employee of the provider agency and is paid a flat daily rate
to provide adult companion care services as included in the approved
CPOC.
3. The companion is
responsible for meeting all financial obligations as agreed upon in the
agreement between the provider agency, the beneficiary, and the
companion.
E. Service
Limits
1. Adult companion care services may
be authorized for up to 365 days per year as documented in the beneficiary's
CPOC.
F. Service
Exclusions
1. Adult companion care services
cannot be provided or billed for at the same time as center-based respite care
services.
2. Beneficiaries
receiving adult companion care services are not eligible for receiving the
following services:
a. supported independent
living;
b. individual and family
support;
c. substitute family
care;
d. skilled nursing;
or
e. monitored in-home caregiving
(MIHC).
G.
Provider Qualifications. Providers must be licensed by the Department of Health
as a home and community-based services provider and must meet the module
specific requirements for the service being provided.
AUTHORITY
NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with
R.S.
36:254 and Title XIX of the Social Security
Act.
