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Program info
The Alternative Care (AC) program provides home-and community-based services to people who need nursing home level of care but choose to live in the community. The Alternative Care program provides many of the same services as the Elderly Waiver program. Alternative Care is for people with low income and assets who are not eligible for Medical Assistance.
More details are in the brochure Alternative Care (PDF).
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Eligibility
To qualify, you must:
- Be age 65 or older
- Need nursing home level of care as determined by a MnCHOICES assessment
- Not have enough income and assets to pay for a nursing home stay lasting longer than 135 days
- Need services that Alternative Care can provide for less than 75 percent of what Medical Assistance would pay for an older person with a similar level of need
- Have no other way to pay for the services.
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Services
Covered services may include:
- Adult day services
- Case management
- Chore services
- Companion services
- Consumer-directed community supports
- Family caregiver support services, including respite
- Home health aides
- Home-delivered meals
- Homemaker services
- Home and vehicle modifications
- Individual community living supports (ICLS)
- Non-medical transportation
- Nutrition services
- Personal emergency response systems
- Personal care assistance
- Skilled nursing visits
- Specialized equipment and supplies.
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Apply
Contact the county or tribal nation where you live for information on applying for the Alternative Care program. You can find your county or tribal contact here: Long-Term Care Consultation contacts.
Contact the Senior LinkAge Line at 800-333-2433 to connect with other local services and programs.
