Does ALTCS Pay for Home Care in Arizona?

Quick answer

It can. ALTCS — the Arizona Long Term Care System, run by AHCCCS, the state's Medicaid program — covers home and community based services such as attendant care, personal care, and homemaker services, which help people stay in their own homes. To qualify, a person must be 65 or older, blind, or disabled; need a nursing-home level of care, as judged by a state assessment; and meet strict income and asset limits. Approval takes time, so many families pay privately for home care while the application is reviewed.

What ALTCS is

ALTCS stands for the Arizona Long Term Care System. It is part of AHCCCS, Arizona's Medicaid program, and it pays for long-term care for people who need a lot of help and have limited money.

A common misunderstanding is that ALTCS only pays for nursing homes. It does cover nursing home care, but it also covers care in the community — including in a person's own home — for people who qualify and can be cared for safely there.

What ALTCS can cover at home

The in-home services are called home and community based services. They can include:

Attendant care — help with bathing, dressing, eating, toileting, and getting around
Personal care — similar hands-on help with daily activities
Homemaker services — housekeeping, laundry, and meal preparation
Respite care — short breaks for family caregivers

ALTCS members get their services through a health plan that contracts with the state, and the plan works with the member to set up a care plan. In some cases members can direct their own care and hire a caregiver they choose, including some family members.

Who qualifies

There are three parts, and a person has to meet all of them:

Who you are: an Arizona resident who is 65 or older, blind, or disabled.
How much help you need: a level of need equal to nursing home care. The state decides this with an assessment called the Pre-Admission Screening, or PAS, which looks at daily activities and memory and thinking. A diagnosis alone, even dementia, does not automatically qualify someone.
Income and assets: both are capped, and the limits are low. They change every year, and there are special rules for married couples and for the family home. Check the current figures with AHCCCS before you assume someone does or does not qualify.

How to apply

Applications go to AHCCCS, and you can apply online, by phone, or by mail. Expect to gather a lot of paperwork: identification, income, bank statements, and information about property and insurance. After the financial review, a state assessor does the PAS, usually in person.

It is not quick. Approval can take weeks or months, especially if paperwork is missing. If your family's finances are complicated, an elder law attorney who works with ALTCS cases can be worth the cost. Your county's Area Agency on Aging can also point you to free help.

While you wait

The need for care does not pause while the paperwork moves. Many families pay privately for a few hours of home care a week so their parent is safe now, then adjust once ALTCS is decided.

If you are in that spot in the Phoenix area or Tucson, call us. We will be straight with you about what we can help with and how.

Common questions

Does ALTCS pay for in-home care?

Yes, for people who qualify. ALTCS covers home and community based services, including attendant care, personal care, and homemaker services, so that members can stay in their own homes when it is safe to do so.

Who is eligible for ALTCS in Arizona?

An Arizona resident who is 65 or older, blind, or disabled; who needs a nursing-home level of care as judged by the state's Pre-Admission Screening; and who meets the program's income and asset limits, which change every year.

How long does ALTCS approval take?

It often takes weeks to a few months, depending on how complete the paperwork is and how quickly the assessment is scheduled. Many families arrange privately paid home care in the meantime.