Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Executive Office of Health and Human Services
Division of Medical Assistance
600 Washington Street
Boston, MA  02111

                                                                     MassHealth
                                                                     Personal Care Agency Bulletin 3
                                                                     March 1999

     TO:       Personal Care Agencies Participating in MassHealth

FROM:       Bruce M. Bullen, Commissioner

RE:       TEMPORARY EMERGENCY PERSONAL CARE ATTENDANT (PCA) SERVICES PLAN

Introduction                          MassHealth has implemented a Temporary Emergency PCA Services Plan (the emergency plan) for consumers of PCA services who meet the criteria listed below.  The purpose of the emergency plan is to address certain temporary access issues.  The emergency plan allows qualified consumers to access the services of a home health aide from a MassHealth home health agency (HHA) on a temporary basis, even if they do not meet the eligibility criteria for home health services.  If the consumer is eligible for home health services, the HHA will provide the service in accordance with its regular procedures.  HHAs will receive a separate bulletin about the implementation of the emergency plan.

Criteria                                   To qualify for services under the emergency plan, a consumer must:

•     have lost the services of one or more PCAs on or after January 1,
1999, and have not been able to find a replacement PCA;

•     have a current prior authorization for PCA services; and

•     be actively seeking a replacement PCA.

Effective Dates                     The emergency plan will be in effect from March 15, 1999, through June
30, 1999.

MassHealth
Personal Care Agency Bulletin 3
March 1999
Page 2

The Role of                            PCA agencies should inform consumers who meet the criteria in this
PCA Agencies                       bulletin of the availability of home health services under the emergency plan and how to access services through an HHA (see enclosed list of MassHealth HHAs).  PCA agencies should instruct eligible consumers to:

1.   self-refer to one of the HHAs on the enclosed list;

2.   identify themselves to the HHA as a consumer who cannot replace a
PCA; and

3.   notify the HHA of the need to terminate the temporary emergency home health services once a replacement PCA has been hired.

Documentation                     Personal care agencies must forward the following information to any consumer who requests services through the emergency plan:

•     a copy of the consumer’s current prior authorization for PCA services;
and

•     a copy of the consumer’s most recent PCA evaluation.

Questions                              If you have questions about the information in this bulletin, contact Lois
Aldrich at (617) 210-5329.