If you’re in the process of hiring a family member or friend as a CDPAP caregiver, you might be doing some research on how to make sure that they get the best possible compensation for their efforts.
Or perhaps you’re hiring someone not related to you, but you still want to provide them the best pay possible so they feel appreciated and perform better at work.
One of the critical steps in getting payment set up for your caregiver is choosing the right fiscal intermediary (FI). The FI works as a middleman between you and Medicaid and they make sure that agreement between all parties are being met and the funds are distributed properly.
In this article. We will explore all the reasons why FreedomCare is the best intermediary when it comes to payments for your caregiver.
We’ll discuss all the ways that FreedomCare can make caregiving a rewarding experience for your friend or family member, and make sure that they receive the proper compensation that they deserve.
Getting the highest pay rate for your CDPAP caregiver
Caregivers often sacrifice a lot to look after their loved ones.
According to the Family Caregiver Alliance (FCA), friends and family members provide almost 80 percent of long-term family care. The vast majority of them are unpaid. On average, family caregivers spent approximately 25 hours a week caring for their loved ones, although in some cases their services might take them more than 40 hours.
The good news is that through programs like CDPAP, you can make sure that your caregiver gets compensated for their services, and they’re not falling into financial hardship as they take care of you.
But you can go above and beyond just making sure they get paid. If you pick the right fiscal intermediary, then not only will you make sure that your caregiver gets paid competitively, but also that they have access to amazing benefits, as we will discuss below.
If you take care of your caregiver the right way, then they’ll feel appreciated, and they’ll show fto take for you with enthusiasm each and every day.
What FI will pay my caregiver the most?
FreedomCare makes sure that your caregiver gets the best compensation possible based on a few different factors.
The average pay rate is between $11.80 – $17.00 per hour, and $17.70 – $25.50 per hour for overtime.
The exact rate will depend on your New York county of residence, and you the insurance provider who manages your Medicaid benefits.
You can contact FreedomCare with your Medicaid number to find out the exact rate your caregiver will make per hour.
What other benefits does FreedomCare offer my caregiver?
The monetary compensation is not the only part of the equation. You should also consider the benefits that would be available to your care provider.
If your family member is leaving a job with several benefits to take care of you, then being able to give them access to similar benefits through FreedomCare could make the decision-making and the transition easier for them.
Let’s take a look at some of the benefits that your care provider can select through FreedomCare.
Generous wellness allowance
If wellness (exercise, relaxation, healthy lifestyle, etc.) is something that is important to your caregiver, then Freedomecare’s wellness allowance would go one step further to make sure that your provider is delighted with their compensation package.
If they select this benefit, your care provider will receive an allowance that they can then use towards qualified wellness expenses.
401K retirement with matching
If you’ve hired a family member, they might have had to give up some of their hours at work. Or in some cases, caregivers give up their present jobs entirely to look after their loved ones.
Giving up hours at work can affect their benefits packages, including retirement contributions like 401K.
This is why FreedomCare offers 401K retirement with matching as one of the benefits. Your caregiver can rest assured that they’re continuing to work towards their retirement while they care for you.
Cell phone reimbursement
Your caregiver can choose this benefit if he/she has a large data usage need to stay connected with work, school, or friends and family.
Or perhaps they use their down time to take online classes to upgrade their skills. Or it could be that they just like to watch Netflix or YouTube videos.
Whatever the reason might be, they can choose to have their cell phone bill reimbursed (up to a limit) through FreedomCare.
Child care reimbursement
Your care provider might need someone to look after their kids now that they might be spending a significant amount of time away from them when they look after you.
If that’s the case then FreedomCare’s child care reimbursement benefit might be right for them.
When you’re talking to your family member or friend about becoming your caregiver through CDPAP, you can mention this benefit if they bring up childcare as a concern.
Dental care reimbursement
Dental care can be expensive, especially if one is not insured.
If your family member currently has dental coverage through their employer, they could be hesitant about giving up those benefits, even though they might genuinely cut back on their hours to look after you.
Be sure to let them know that they can pick dental care reimbursement as a benefit through FreedomCare, so that it doesn’t become a major factor in their decision making.
Vision insurance
Similar to dental, vision insurance is another benefit your provider can pick through FreedomCare, and something you can also mention during the interview/hiring process.
Zero-premium health insurance
Not only are your medical expenses covered through Medicaid, but you can also make sure your caregiver gets access to zero-premium health insurance, when you pick FreedomCare as your fiscal intermediary.
It’s another benefit meant to make switching to caregiving an easier decision for your friend or family member, especially if their current health insurance is tied to their employer.
Gym reimbursement
Another one of FreedomCare’s wellness-oriented benefits is that your caregiver can get reimbursed for their gym memberships (up to specific limits).
Exercise, whether its strength training, cardio, yoga, or a combination of all, have been proven by science to have immense benefits to overall health, mental wellbeing, as well as longevity.
A gym reimbursement benefit could be the perfect opportunity for your family member to start exercising (or continue on their current fitness routine). It will benefit their own health and, most likely, how they perform as your caregiver.
Pampering care packages
Every now and then, we all love to get pampered. And no one deserves more pampering than your caregiver after a week of working hard making sure that you’re feeling comfortable and healthy.
With the pampering care package benefit, you can make sure that your care provider knows that he or she is appreciated, and that their hard work and dedication towards your wellbeing isn’t unnoticed.
Paid sick time
If your caregiver gets sick, the last thing you want is for them to show up to work to help you around the house, and get you sick as well.
With the paid sick time benefit, you can let them know that they can take time off if they need, without having to worry about sacrificing pay. It’s best for both of you if your care provider takes adequate rest so they can recover quickly and get back to work with full energy.
Of course, you should make sure to have a temporary back-up plan for such situations, regardless of whether you choose this benefit.
Holiday pay
When looking for a job, one of the benefits that many people care about is paid holiday time.
And caregiving is no different. Even though your family member or friend is most likely delighted to take care of you, they’d still want some time off every now and then. And maybe you want a break from too, just to change things up a bit.
The paid holiday benefit is the perfect opportunity to allow your caregiver to take some time off and come back rejuvenated.
Paid family leave
If your caregiver has their own family, or other people that are dependent on them, then this benefit could be of utmost importance to them.
Paid family leave allows them to take some time off if they need to take care of somebody sick in their family, whether its a child, grandchild, sibling, grandparent, spouse, parent, parent-in-law, or registered domestic partner.
100% guaranteed weekly payment
When working with FreedomCare, both you and your care provider can rest assured that their pay through Medicaid is 100 % guaranteed each week.
The guarantee of getting paid appropriately for the work done will add peace of mind to both of you, so the focus can remain on the job at hand, which is to make sure you get the best care possible.
Caregiver support program
Caregiving can be a tough job, especially in the beginning if this is your provider’s first time.
Through FreedomCare’s caregiver support program, your caregiver will have access to various resources to help them do their work at the highest level possible.
There’s also a caregiver Facebook group for support, as we will discuss below.
Direct Deposit
FreedomCare arranges direct deposit for your caregiver.
It’s one more added convenience when it comes to personal finances for your care assistant, since direct deposits remove the hassle of having to make a trip to the bank.
You can ask your caregiver if they would prefer direct deposits during the interview/hiring process. If they want to set it up, FreedomCare will be happy to help.
Caregiver wellness program
Caregiving is a very rewarding job. Your care assistant gets to look after someone they care about (you), while at the same time getting compensated for their efforts through Medicaid.
But it can be stressful as well. Not only do they have to make sure that you’re comfortable and well, but they also need to manage their own health, family, work, studies, or anything else that is going on in their lives.
And for that reason, your caregiver’s wellness is of utmost importance. Through FreedomCare, your care provider will have access to programs designed to optimize both their physical and mental well being.
Caregivers Facebook group
If this is your caregiver’s first time helping someone with daily living activities, it can take some time to adjust to the new role. Or perhaps they’ve cared for others, but this time there are unique challenges they didn’t face before.
The good news is that there is help available. The FreedomCare Caregiver Facebook group is a community full of supportive care providers who are eager to help.
If your care assistant ever feels like they’re stuck, or they need some quick help, they can always post their questions in the group, and someone will typically get back to them shortly.
Instant pay – same day
A unique benefit available to your caregiver only through FreedomCare is instant pay.
If your care provider wants to get paid immediately, they can select this benefit. Here’s how it works. As soon as they clock out, they’d receive an instant payment through direct deposit to a Rapid Pay Card.
Speak to a doctor 24/7/365 – no fee
Your caregiver may have their own healthcare needs, or of their family members. You can support them with this benefit from FreedomCare that allows them to speak to a doctor 24/7/365, with zero fees.
Final thoughts
Family caregivers provide an absolutely essential service. Without them, many of our elderly loved ones would suffer significantly more due to their disabilities.
But caring for loved ones often comes with sacrifices to the provider, both financially and personally. That is why it is absolutely vital that you make it the best compensation package available for them.
FreedomCare not only provides compeptitve pay rates for caregivers, but also one of the best selection of benefits available through a fiscal intermediary. Get in touch with FreedomCare today to make sure that your caregiver will get the great compensation they deserve.