State programs
North Carolina Personal Care Services (PCS)
North Carolina Personal Care Services, or PCS, is a Medicaid state plan benefit that pays for in-home help with daily activities. NC Medicaid runs it. A person needs a medical condition, disability, or cognitive impairment and unmet needs in several activities of daily living. An independent assessment confirms eligibility.
Why it matters for your family
The five activities of daily living NC Medicaid counts are bathing, dressing, mobility, toileting, and eating. The person needs unmet needs in three of five with limited hands-on help, or in two with higher levels of help. The home must pass an environmental safety check, and no family member or other payer can reasonably meet the need. A common mistake is to ask the care agency to do the assessment. Providers may not do it. A designated assessor completes it. Ask NC Medicaid how to request an assessment. Keep notes on daily needs before the visit, so the assessor sees the full picture.
Source: medicaid.ncdhhs.gov
Read more: Home care in North Carolina
Related terms
- Community Alternatives Program for Disabled Adults (CAP/DA)The Community Alternatives Program for Disabled Adults, or CAP/DA, is a North Carolina Medicaid waiver for adults age 18 or older who need a nursing facility level of care but prefer to stay in their own homes.
- Medicaid personal care servicesMedicaid personal care services are hands-on help with daily activities that Medicaid pays for.
- Activities of daily living (ADLs)Activities of daily living (ADLs) are the basic self-care tasks people do each day.
- BathingBathing, as an activity of daily living, means washing the body by sponge bath, tub, or shower, and getting in and out safely.
- DressingDressing, as an activity of daily living, means choosing clothes, putting them on and taking them off, including fasteners and shoes.
- ToiletingToileting, as an activity of daily living, means getting to and from the toilet, using it, and cleaning up afterward.
