• No, the $25 per hour refers to the reimbursement rate that the PDN agency may receive under the program and is not reflective of a pay rate for a family caregiver. The PDN agency will determine the hourly rate that a family caregiver will receive as pay under the program. Source.

• Implementing a new model of care like FHHA involves ensuring compliance with all state and federal requirements, including adopting rules, which is a comprehensive and lengthy process. Progress in Florida has been quicker than in other states that approved this model simultaneously last year.

• While the program was authorized by the bill’s passage and approved by the Governor on 6/2/2023 (Chapter No. 2023-183), the actual implementation involves many steps that couldn't begin until after that date. Our legislative sponsors have been working with AHCA to implement this model program, and we expect its launch soon.

According to AHCA's final rules, you cannot test out of the required training. The training, developed by the private duty nursing agency and administered by an RN with specified experience, includes:

• 40 hours of classroom training (can be done at the client's home or in the office).
• 30 hours of skills training (must be completed in a office).
• 16 hours of clinical competency training and validation (must be completed in a client's home).
• An additional 4 hours of medication administration training may be required based on patient needs.
• Additional medication training routes: oral meds, meds via enteral feeding tube, injections, rectal administration, and inhaled meds via tracheostomy. Source.

• No, PDN agencies are not required to provide this model. They can choose to participate in this or other forms of home care, such as personal care, hospice, or Medicare Home Health services. Source.

• To become an FHHA, one must:
  • Be over 18 years of age.
  • Be a family caregiver of an eligible relative.
  • Complete an approved training program or graduate from an accredited prelicensure nursing program and await the state licensing exam.
  • Meet additional requirements such as background screening, HIV/AIDS training, CPR certification, delegation of medication administration (if applicable), and 12 hours of in-service training annually. Source.

• "Related Provider" can include a wide range of family members such as aunts, brothers, cousins, daughters, fathers, grandparents, in-laws, nieces, nephews, stepfamily, and spouses. Source.

• No, the PDN agency provides this training at no cost to family members, with no strings attached. There is also no limit on the number of FHHAs an agency can train per eligible relative.  Source.

• This issue is still being addressed in Florida. Other states have implemented regulations to prevent children from losing Medicaid eligibility due to their parents' income exceeding the threshold. We expect Florida to implement similar measures to avoid this issue. Further guidance will be provided by the state.

• Based on our experience with other states, we estimate that the program will roll out to PDN agencies by this Fall, but hopefully no later than the end of the year.