The Consumer Directed Personal Assistant Program, also known as CDPAP, is a brilliant initiative introduced in New York. This program allows the consumers or patients to choose a caregiver to help with their independent living. It is different from all the other health care or in-home care programs in many ways.
Under the consumer-directed personal assistant program, the consumer can hire friends, family members, or acquaintances as their caregivers or personal assistant. The caregiver so hired can assist these consumers in their day-to-day activities. This program is a great medium, enabling a consumer to keep themselves connected with their family, friends and loved ones. Apart from providing comfortable care to the consumer, this initiative has an advantage for the caregiver, too. As a caregiver, CDPAP pays you for taking valuable care of the patient.
Following the factor of getting paid in return for caring for the patient, many people, including friends and family members, have started showing a great interest in CDPAP. This program has two parts – the consumer as well as the personal assistant.
The consumer is the patient who seeks care (medical and personal care) under the program. They may be termed as an employer for the caregiver. The caregiver, on the other hand, takes care of the consumer and gets paid in return.
If you are looking forward to applying under CDPAP as a caregiver, here are some steps to follow:
How to apply as a personal assistant under CDPAP?
Here are the things to keep in mind when you apply as a personal assistant or caregiver under the consumer-directed personal assistant program:
- You must have an eligible consumer who is willing to hire you. This consumer can also be your parent, family member, or acquaintance. The consumer must need to have someone to take care of them and assist them in daily living.
- You can contact the selected fiscal intermediary of the consumer to know whether they are looking forward to hiring you. Afterward, you will be asked to complete a physical examination. This examination can be performed with your doctor or the agency that is associated with CDPAP. The physical examination makes sure that you are physically fit and capable of taking care of the person in need. The physical examination includes blood tests, drug screening, screening for rubella, and others.
- Once you pass the physical examination, complete the payroll documents. After this, you become eligible as a caregiver and may start with your duty.
Qualifications required to be a caregiver
The caregiver or personal assistant under CDPAP need not have any particular qualification to be eligible for the post.
Some of the requirements include the following:
- The consumer must be willing to hire you as their caregiver.
- You must be authorized to work in the United States of America and be of legal working age.
- The fiscal intermediary may supply you with a PA application package. You must complete the application.
- You must pass the physical examination.
Disqualifications for caregiver under CDPAP
When you apply for the post of a caregiver under CDPAP, there are a few things that can disqualify you so keep these in mind:
- If you have a child younger than 21 and they are the recipient of the care, then the program does not qualify you to be eligible.
- If you are the spouse of the care recipient, you are not eligible to be their personal assistant.
- If you are the designated representative of the care recipient, the program declares you are not eligible.
The process after applying as a caregiver can take up to three weeks. For some people, this process may even take longer, up to four months. The timing depends on the individual client (consumer) as well as their insurance carrier.
Improving Quality of Life — for Both
Kindness, love and loyalty are all marks of a family member who has taken on the responsibility of looking after the medical and personal care of a loved one. But the sacrifice does not have to happen without support.
The CDPAP offers many benefits to the caregiver. From flexible working hours to a handsome salary and everything in between – now you can get paid for taking care of your loved ones.
So what are you waiting for? Apply for the post now.
