How to Get Started with Achieve:
- Contact Achieve Healthcare and provide your Medical Assistance (MA) number to determine your eligibility.
- Once eligibility is determined, an assessment must be completed by a Public Health Nurse in the county of your residence. The qualifying assessment must be initiated by the client/consumer or his/her Responsible Party for the initial assessment but Achieve Healthcare will initiate all assessments thereafter. You must contact your county's Social Services department and request an initial assessment for PCA Services (Achieve Healthcare cannot request the initial assessment for you)
- Provide Achieve Healthcare with your PCA employee's background information (First, Middle and Last Name, Date of Birth, Address, Driver's License/State ID number, Social Security number and PCA certification number).
- Complete the New Client paperwork and have your PCAs complete the New PCA paperwork (available in "Forms" section of website or via email links).
What is the Personal Care Assistant Choice option?
PCA Choice is an option of the Personal Care Assistance program through the state of Minnesota that allows individuals who receive PCA services to be responsible for the hiring, training, scheduling and supervision of their own PCAs. The consumer or responsible party must choose a PCA Choice Provider company (i.e., Achieve Healthcare) that acts as a fiscal intermediary between the agency and the PCA.
Who is eligible for the PCA Choice option?
To be eligible for the PCA Choice option a person must meet all these criteria:
· Be able to manage the responsibilities of hiring, training and supervising employees or live with someone who can make those decisions for you
· Be eligible for PCA services through Medical Assistance
· Have an illness, injury, physical or mental condition that requires the level of support a PCA can provide
What types of services are covered under the PCA Choice option?
PCA services must be medically necessary, approved and ordered by a physician on an annual basis. These services may include eating, toileting, grooming, dressing, bathing, transferring, mobility and positioning
What are MY responsibilities under the PCA Choice option?
· Hire, train and supervise your PCA(s)
· Choose a PCA Choice provider from the agency list available through the county public health nurse
· Help determine the rate your PCA(s) will be paid
· Help develop your plan of care
· Enter into a written agreement with Achieve Healthcare, (your PCA Choice provider company), PCA(s) and Qualified Professional (QP)
What are Achieve Healthcare's responsibilities under the PCA Choice option?
- Act in the role of a fiscal intermediary between the state of MN and the PCA
· Develop and complete written agreements with you and your staff
· Ensure that the required liability insurance is in place
· Obtain required background checks for the staff you hire
· Manage the employee records and finances to pay your staff, withhold appropriate taxes, ensure compliance with IRS requirements and pay into workers’ compensation insurance
What does a Qualified Professional (QP) do if I choose to have one?
A qualified professional is either a Registered Nurse, Licensed Social Worker, or a mental health professional and is responsible to:
· Develop the plan of care with you
· Direct health-related tasks you may have
· Provide assistance with supervision tasks for the PCA(s)
· Communicate with other health care providers
How can I get more information and apply for this option?
If you are interested in the PCA Choice option, contact a Public Health Nurse in the county of your residence and tell them you are interested in receiving an assessment for PCA Choice services.
Once assessed, contact Achieve Healthcare at 763-913-1325 and we'll help you from there.