New York State pays for home health services for residents through the Community First Choice State Plan Option (CFCO), which is administered by the state’s Medicaid program. Seniors who are eligible for Medicaid and who have a medical need for home health care can get an agency-approved home health aide to help them remain safely in their homes.

Medicaid’s Community First Choice State Plan Option (CFCO)

New York’s Medicaid CFCO pays for several age-in-place supports for seniors with medical needs. Seniors who require a nursing home level of care can get home health services through a CFCO waiver, personal caregiver assistance, mobility assistance and some home modifications from approved providers. Seniors who participate in the CFCO program may choose to enroll through the Consumer-Directed Personal Assistance (CDPA) program. CDPA delivers a direct subsidy for home support as a consumer-directed benefit, rather than as a managed support. For non-medical in-home care, this permits beneficiaries to hire a relative or friend to help them in their homes, though qualified home health aides are still recruited through a state-authorized agency.

Other State Programs for Aging in Place

Other state programs for aging in place for seniors in New York who meet the income and asset limits for the state’s Medicaid program may choose to get their benefits through the Managed Long Term Care (MLTC) program. This option bundles together all the medical and in-home support services seniors might need into a single HMO-style managed care plan. Seniors who need home health services can ask for a referral through either their plan doctor or their Medicaid caseworker.

Home Health Programs in New York City

New York’s Department of Health operates the Managed Long-Term Care (MLTC) program for seniors who qualify for Medicare, Medicaid or both. Under this program, seniors with a disability, medical condition or age-related need for home health services can get home visits from a home health aide. This program is not available to seniors who live in a residential care setting, though other waiver programs may be open to seniors in assisted living or residential board and care facilities.