Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Executive Office of Health and Human Services
Office of Medicaid
600 Washington Street
Boston, MA  02111
www.mass.gov/masshealth


Eligibility Operations Memo 06-09
July 1, 2006

TO:	MassHealth Eligibility Operations Staff

FROM:	Russ Kulp, Director, MassHealth Operations

RE:	Revision to Personal-Care Attendant Services Determination Process
		
Introduction
Effective July 1, 2006, UMMS Disability Evaluation Services (DES) will no longer be responsible for reviewing the Personal-Care Attendant (PCA) Supplement included in the Senior Medical Benefit Request (SMBR) to determine if an applicant may qualify for MassHealth PCA services.  MassHealth Central Eligibility Operations will assume this responsibility.
		
MEC Responsibility
Effective July 1, 20006, when the MassHealth Enrollment Center (MEC)receives an application or review form that includes a completed PCA Supplement, the MEC representative should follow all previous procedures and fax the PCA Supplement and the completed MassHealth Personal-Care Attendant Disability Tracking Form (PCA-TF-O) to Central Office at 617-210-5872 (fax).  MEC staff should send all completed PCA forms regardless of the applicant’s or member’s total income.

The MassHealth application or review should pend at the MEC until Central Office has made a decision about the individual’s need for PCA services.

Central Office Responsibility
Central Eligibility Operations staff will screen the PCA Supplement to determine if the individual may qualify for the increased unearned income disregard that is part of the PCA eligibility criteria for MassHealth PCA services.  The determination should be completed within 14 days.

When a decision has been made, Central Eligibility Operations staff will annotate the PCA-TF-O and fax it back to the MEC representative.
		
Timeline for Central Office Decisions 
If the MEC representative has not received a response from within 14 days, or if there is some urgency, the MEC Disability Liaison may contact Central Eligibility Operations at 617-210-5736 for assistance.

Questions	If you have any questions about this memo, please have your MEC designee contact the Policy Hotline.