Ambercare® Presents the Personal Care Option

The Medicaid Personal Care Option (PCO) is available to all Medicaid recipients who receive SSI, are over 21 years of age, and need assistance with at least two activities of daily living. Activities of daily living with which PCO clients may need assistance are:

• Assistance with medications
• Bowel and bladder services
• Cognitive assistance
• Eating
• Household services
• Hygiene / Grooming / Bathing
• Meal preparation
• Minor maintenance of assistive devices
• Mobility assistance
• Skin care
• Support services

Why Call Ambercare®?

Unlike some PCO providers, Ambercare® has nurses and other health care professionals on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. All supervisory visits will be done by experienced Ambercare® professionals.

Who Provides the PCO Services?

The Personal Care Attendant(s) may be someone already employed by Ambercare® or a family member of the client who has already been attending to the client’s care. The client may choose one of two ways to provide the service:

1. Consumer Directed: The client/consumer acts as the employer by hiring, training, supervising and terminating the Personal Care Attendant(s). The contracted provider/agency acts as a fiscal agent, processing the financial and payroll paperwork.
2. Consumer Delegated: A contract provider is responsible for the hiring, training, supervising and terminating of the Personal Care Attendant(s). The contract provider is also responsible for processing the financial and payroll paperwork.

In both options, the client may choose family members, friends, neighbors or anyone as their attendants.

How Does One Enroll with Ambercare®’s PCO Program?

1. A trained Ambercare® Personal Care Coordinator will meet with you to begin your enrollment.
2. Ambercare® will then correspond with a “Third-Party Assessor” for approval.
3. When we receive approval from the “Third-Party Assessor”, your caregiver is hired and training is completed. Your Personal Care Coordinator will meet with both you and the caregiver to review your Personal Care Service Plan to ensure the best care for you.
4. Every month your Personal Care Coordinator will visit to ensure that your care is of the highest quality and to address any concerns you may have.

Ambercare® provides services in the following counties in New Mexico:

• Bernalillo County
• Sandoval County
• Cibola County
• Torrance County
• Valencia County
• Socorro County
• Sierra County
• Doña Ana County
• Jemez Pueblo

If you are not sure if you qualify for the Personal Care Option Program, feel free to call Ambercare® and speak to a PCO Provider Professional toll-free at 1-877-861-0060.

C-Waiver Program

C-Waiver

The purpose of The C-Waiver Program is to support elderly and/or disabled individuals in their homes as an alternative to institutionalization. Services provide support, which allow people with disabilities to live in their community among family and friends. Ambercare® Home Health provides Case Management, Homemaker, Homemaker Respite, and Nursing services to individuals eligible for the C-Waiver program.

Eligibility

• Limited to individuals who have received an allocation to the C-Waiver services from
  Aging and Long Term Service Department and who meet institutional level of care criteria
• Individual must meet financial criteria as determined by Human Service Department
• Persons who are elderly (65 or older), or persons aged 21-64 with a disability (blind or disabled) as determined by social security disability guidelines, who reside in the community
• Persons who are elderly (65 or older), or persons aged 21-64 with a disability (blind or disabled) as determined by social security disability guidelines, who are institutionalized or a risk for institutionalization

Services

• Nursing services include assessment, procedures, treatment, and teaching for a physical condition, physical illness, or chronic disability under the direction of the recipient’s primary care physician
• Case Management services include the facilitation of income and medical eligibility for the waiver services.
• Homemaker Services include:
  • Household services and support necessary to maintain the home
  • Personal care, bathing, grooming, dressing
  • Assistance with bowel and bladder elimination
  • Meal preparation
  • Prompting or reminding of self medication
  • Respite services providing primary caregiver a limited leave of absence
  • Mobility assistance and minor maintenance of assistive devices
  • Supportive services including shopping, transportation, or errands

Ambercare® currently provides C-Waiver services in the following counties: Bernalillo, Dona Ana, Sierra, Sandoval, and Valencia.

Ambercare® Home Health can also provide individuals with private-pay services when patients are no longer eligible for traditional home care. Services may include: Nursing and personal care assistance. To assist individuals with bathing, dressing, grooming, light housekeeping and meal preparation.