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  3. How to Get the Most From Health Insurance
  4. About Medicaid (Healthy Louisiana)

Medicaid services for people with disabilities

Medicaid is a health insurance plan and covers things like doctor's visits, medicines, and hospital stays.

But it also offers special services to people with disabilities.  It's important to make sure your family member is getting all the helpful services they can.  Ask what services your plan offers that relate to disabilities.

These might be things like:

  • Tests or assessments 

  • Special treatments or therapies

  • Special equipment or devices that help your family member communicate, move around, or do the normal things any other person can do

Here are some other examples:

Long-term Personal Care Services (LTPCS)

  • You might be able to get in-home help from a Personal Care Attendant (PCA). Call the Office of Aging & Adult Services (OAAS) and ask them about LTPCS.

Click on the boxes below to learn more:

PCA services are for people who live in the community but need extra help to safely live on their own.

You will hire a PCA through an agency of your choice to help you at home.


A Personal Care Attendant (PCA) can help you with these things:

Personal_Care_Attendant_ADLs_Activities_of_Daily_Living.jpg

Source: OCDD

Long Term Personal Care Services from OAAS (LTPCS)

  • These services are for people who cannot take care of their own daily needs, like eating, bathing, dressing and moving around their house.

  • Based on your needs, you'd get a certain number of hours per week to hire a Personal Care Attendant (PCA). This is also called a Direct Care Service Worker. (Click on the button below to learn more.)

  • You may be able to get these services if you don't qualify for other services from OCDD, or if you're on the waitlist for a waiver. They come from a separate department and are based only on need and income.

To qualify for LTPCS, you need to:

  • Be over age 22

  • Have an income of less than about $735 per month (This is an estimate only!)

  • Meet the guidelines for "level of care". This means that you must show that you need help with many of your basic needs like dressing, eating, taking medicine, getting around in your home, etc. These are called ADLS, or Activities of Daily Living.

Here's what you can do:

  • Call OAAS at 877-456-1146

  • Ask them about LPTPCS

  • Describe your needs as clearly as you can

They will ask you some questions on the phone, then meet you for a face-to-face assessment.

 

Source: OAAS

It can be hard to get the right information!

But if you're persistent, you might be able to find other Medicaid services that can help your family member.

Here are a few places to call: Medical Card IconImage of parent character Paula on the phone

  • Your local Human Services District (HSD) Office. This is are the place to ask about OCDD services. See the brochure from the last slide for the phone numbers of regional offices.

  • The Medicaid Hotline: (888) 342-6307

  • Healthy Louisiana or your specific Medicaid plan: Look on the back of your Insurance Card for the phone number.


Here's what you should ask:

My child has a disability. We need some support. What kind of services does Medicaid offer?What if we don’t have a waiver yet? Make sure to describe your child’s needs very carefully!           

Sources: LDH, OCDD

Other Services through the Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities (OCDD)

This office coordinates services for people with developmental disabilities.  If you have Medicaid, there are more services open to you.  Call them and ask.

Click on the link at the bottom of a page to download a brochure.  (It will open in a new tab or appear in the bottom corner of your screen.)

 

Medicaid Waivers are another important benefit for people with disabilities. See the next page to learn more.

 

Sources: OAAS, OCDD