Working with your personal care assistant during COVID-19
May 5, 2020
Living Well at Home
Health news, stories of care, and other information to help you live safely and independently at home
MassHealth is committed to supporting members receiving personal care attendant (PCA) services during COVID-19. PCAs are considered essential employees.
As much as possible, support your PCA in practicing good hygiene while in your home. Limit physical contact with your PCA to only what is needed for care tasks.
Every day before your PCA comes over, you should both do a self-check screening by asking these questions:
- Do you have a fever (higher than 100.3 degrees)?
- Do you have new symptoms such as cough, shortness of breath, or sore throat?
- Have you had close contact with a person diagnosed with COVID-19 in the past 14 days?
- Have you traveled to a COVID-19-affected geographic area in the past 14 days?
If you answer “yes” to any of these questions, you should contact your doctor before allowing your PCA into your home. If your PCA answers “yes” to any of these questions, do not allow your him or her to come into your home.
If you are having trouble getting PCA services during COVID-19:
- If you have other PCAs, reach out to them. MassHealth put new policies in place so that PCAs no longer have any limits on working overtime. They may work additional hours as needed during this public health emergency.
- Hire a new PCA from the Mass PCA Directory.1
- If you do not have backup PCAs and need services quickly, call the new MassHealth PCA Help Hotline by calling MassOptions at 844-422-6277, 9 am to 5 pm, Monday–Friday.
You can read more about PCA services during COVID-19 here.1
1 When you click this link, you will leave the Commonwealth Care Alliance website.
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