The Medicaid Personal Care (MPC) program operates as part of the Washington state Medicaid plan. Although the MPC program does not pay for room and board, it does provide personal care assistance to eligible participants, including services such as eating, bathing, grooming, personal hygiene and other services that fall under activities of daily living. The program can also provide nursing services to conduct assessments, coordinate care and offer skilled treatment. The MPC program is classed as an entitlement, so qualification guarantees services with no waiting list.
To be eligible, applicants must qualify financially and functionally to be eligible for the MPC program. To gain functional eligibility, candidates must require assistance to perform at least three of the following activities of daily living:
- Eating
- Dressing
- Bathing
- Personal hygiene
- Mobility around and outside the home
- Bed mobility
- Medication management
- Transferring (standing from a bed or chair)
- Toileting
Seniors will qualify financially if they meet eligibility requirements for the Non-institutional, Categorically Needy Medicaid program. These requirements are stricter than those of classic Medicaid, and the income limit changes each year. Health insurance premiums can be deducted from the monthly income total. The value of countable resources are also considered and must be below $2,000 for individual applicants or below $3,000 for married couples applying. The applicant's primary home is exempt as long as it is valued under $572,000, along with a primary vehicle, household items, personal effects and pre-arranged burial plans.
To learn more about eligibility requirements, contact your Medicaid case manager or fill out a paper application and submit it to the address on the form or fill out and submit an application online.