Home Delivered Meals 525-05-30-33

(Revised 11/1/21 ML #3640)

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Purpose

The purpose of home delivered meals is to provide a well-balanced meal to individuals who are unable to prepare an adequate meal for themselves.

At a minimum, each meal must meet the most current meal pattern established by the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Dietary Guidelines for Older Americans.

One of the first steps in determining eligibility for HCBS-funded home delivered meals is determining whether the individual would be eligible for the meals under the Older Americans Act (OAA). Basic eligibility criteria for home delivered meals under OAA requires that the individual is age 60 or over and homebound. If the individual appears to meet the criteria for OAA, please refer to the section below (Service Eligibility, Criteria for) - lines 3 and 4.

Service Eligibility, Criteria for

The individual receiving the home delivered meal must meet the following criteria:

1. Must be eligible for one of the following: Medicaid Waiver for Home and Community Based Services, Service Payments to the Elderly & Disabled (SPED), or Expanded Service Payments to the Elderly & Disabled (ExSPED).
2. Live alone and is unable to prepare an adequate meal, or live with someone who is unable or unavailable to prepare an adequate meal.

• Home Delivered Meals may be authorized if the individual lives with an adult who is not obligated to provide assistance.
• Home Delivered Meals may be authorized if the individual lives with an obligated adult (able-bodied spouse) who is unavailable to provide assistance during mealtime (example: spouse who works outside of the home).

3. SPED or ExSPED recipients who are eligible for home delivered meals under the Older Americans Act (OAA) must access their meal through the OAA meal site and not through SPED or ExSPED, UNLESS:

1. The individual has a dietary restriction such that the meal funded by OAA would not be appropriate in meeting their dietary needs. In this case, the individual is able to choose an alternative home delivered meal provider (such as Mom’s Meals) in place of the meal through the local OAA site, and the home delivered meal can be funded by SPED or ExSPED. The HCBS Case Manager must document the individual’s dietary restriction and need for an alternative home delivered meal in the assessment and narrative/case note.
2. The individual is already receiving OAA meals and would like an additional meal authorized under SPED or ExSPED. These individuals can access one additional home delivered meal per day, as long as at least one of their meals is provided and paid for under the OAA. For the additional meal, the individual is able to choose a meal from the local OAA meal site OR an alternative home delivered meal provider (such as Mom’s Meals).

4. Individuals requesting home delivered meals under the HCBS Medicaid Waiver are not required to use Older American Act meals. The case manager may authorize the home delivered meal under Medicaid Waiver, and the individual is able to choose the home delivered meal provider.

Limits/Service Combinations

• Recipients cannot receive more than seven (7) hot or frozen home delivered meals per week under Home and Community Based Services (HCBS).
• Home Delivered Meals cannot be combined with Adult Residential Care, Adult Foster Care, or while the individual is in Adult Day Care (as services cannot be duplicated).
• In some circumstances, the combination of Home Delivered Meals and Family Home Care or Family Personal Care may be appropriate. Contact the Program Administrator for a one-time approval.

Standards for Home Delivered Meal Providers

See Standards for Qualified Service Providers 525-05-45