Already have approved hours?
What to Do When Personal-Care Hours Are Already Approved
Already have Virginia Medicaid and approved personal-care hours? Tell us. Your process may be much simpler.
Virginia guidance · Reviewed
Start with the authorization you have.
Tell the Care Navigator that hours are approved, approximately how many if you know, and whether care is already being delivered. Also share whether you want to start care or discuss a transfer.
The current authorization must be checked for the service, dates, provider and caregiver arrangement. It does not automatically authorize a new agency, a parent as a paid LRI, or additional hours.
Keep these details ready for follow-up.
Do not upload an authorization letter, member card or medical records through an ordinary contact form. Ask how necessary documents can be shared through an approved process.
- Your health plan or waiver name, if known.
- Whether the arrangement is agency-directed or consumer-directed.
- Whether the proposed caregiver is already being paid.
- The approximate hours and the current care coordinator or support coordinator.
- Your preferred language and a safe way for the team to contact you.
Coordinate before ending an existing arrangement.
Ask both the current coordinator and the receiving agency what must happen before services change. Confirm current availability, coverage participation, authorization and an agreed start date. Avoid assuming that submitting a transfer inquiry means the transfer is complete.
If your family is also moving from CCC Plus to a DD waiver, the support coordinator, health-plan care manager and providers need to coordinate the waiver transition. It is a different change from switching agencies within the same program.
If the new caregiver is a parent.
The LRI extraordinary-care requirements still need to be met. Approved general personal-care hours do not automatically become paid parent hours. Ask how the child’s needs will be assessed and documented, and how the weekly limit and respite restriction affect the proposed care plan.
Use the eligibility check to identify yourself as already having authorized hours. The team can then focus the follow-up on the arrangement you are trying to establish.
Official sources
These Virginia and local government resources explain the rules and the public programs described here.
This guidance and our preliminary screening do not guarantee Medicaid eligibility, paid caregiver employment or service authorization. First Choice Home Care does not make the final Medicaid or authorization decision. Your program and care plan determine which services may be approved.
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