Minnesota's Alternative Care Program

What Alternative Care is

Alternative Care is a state-funded program administered by the Minnesota Department of Human Services and delivered through counties and Tribal agencies. It helps pay for home and community-based services for older Minnesotans who need nursing-home-level care but do not yet meet the financial rules for Medical Assistance.

The idea is to keep people in the community and out of nursing homes during the period just before they qualify for Medical Assistance, which often costs the state less and is what most families prefer.

Who qualifies

To be eligible for Alternative Care in Minnesota, a person generally must:

• Be age 65 or older
• Require a nursing-facility level of care, confirmed by a state assessment
• Not currently be eligible for Medical Assistance, but be likely to qualify within about 135 days of entering a nursing home
• Meet the program's asset rules (Alternative Care has its own limits, generally more generous than the strict Medical Assistance asset limit)

What it covers

Alternative Care covers many of the same community services as the Elderly Waiver, though the package is more limited. These can include home care, homemaker and chore services, adult day services, home-delivered meals, respite for family caregivers, and care coordination. Like the Elderly Waiver, it pays for services, not the rent and meals in an assisted living setting.

Does it cost anything?

Some participants pay a fee toward the cost of their Alternative Care services, based on their income and assets. Your case manager explains whether a fee applies in your situation and how it is calculated.

How it relates to the Elderly Waiver

Think of the two together. Alternative Care is the short-term bridge for people who are close to, but not yet on, Medical Assistance. The Elderly Waiver is the main, longer-term Medicaid program that helps pay for community and assisted living services once a person is eligible for Medical Assistance. As a person's finances change and they become eligible for Medical Assistance, a case manager can help them apply for the Elderly Waiver.

How to apply, step by step

1. 1

   Contact your county or Tribal human services agency

   Or start with the Senior LinkAge Line (1-800-333-2433), Minnesota's free statewide help line for seniors, which can direct you to the right office.

2. 2

   Request a long-term care consultation / assessment

   A trained assessor confirms whether your parent needs a nursing-facility level of care, which Alternative Care requires.

3. 3

   Review your finances with the case manager

   They check whether you meet the Alternative Care asset rules and are likely to qualify for Medical Assistance within about 135 days of a nursing-home admission.

4. 4

   Build a care plan and start services

   If approved, a case manager arranges community services and can help you apply for the Elderly Waiver if and when you become eligible for Medical Assistance.