IHSS Care Planning and Authorized Hours 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Who is responsible for conducting the in-home needs assessment that determines an IHSS recipient's authorized services?
- The IHSS provider
- A county social worker (Correct answer)
- The recipient's personal physician
- The recipient's family member
Correct answer: A county social worker
A county social worker visits the recipient's home to conduct the needs assessment and determine what IHSS services and hours are authorized.
Question 2: What document formally notifies an IHSS recipient of their authorized services and monthly hours?
- The SOC 821 form
- The provider enrollment agreement
- The Notice of Action (NOA) (Correct answer)
- The timesheet approval letter
Correct answer: The Notice of Action (NOA)
The Notice of Action (NOA) is the official document that informs the recipient of the authorized IHSS services, tasks, and monthly hours they are entitled to receive.
Question 3: How often is an IHSS recipient's care plan required to be formally reassessed at minimum?
- Every 6 months
- Every year (Correct answer)
- Every 2 years
- Every 3 months
Correct answer: Every year
IHSS recipients must have their needs reassessed by a county social worker at least once per year to ensure authorized services still match their current needs.
Question 4: If a provider performs tasks that are NOT listed in the recipient's authorized care plan, what is the likely consequence?
- The provider will be paid for extra work completed
- The provider may face fraud charges and repayment of wages (Correct answer)
- The recipient's hours will automatically be increased
- The county will add the tasks to the care plan retroactively
Correct answer: The provider may face fraud charges and repayment of wages
Providers who perform unauthorized tasks may be required to repay wages received for that time and could face fraud allegations, as only authorized tasks can be compensated.
Question 5: The number of hours authorized in an IHSS care plan is primarily based on what factor?
- The provider's availability and schedule
- The recipient's functional limitations and assessed needs (Correct answer)
- The recipient's income level
- The provider's years of experience
Correct answer: The recipient's functional limitations and assessed needs
Authorized hours are determined by the social worker's assessment of the recipient's functional limitations and the time needed to complete each approved task.
Question 6: If an IHSS recipient's medical condition significantly worsens, what should they do regarding their care plan?
- Wait until the annual reassessment
- Ask their provider to add extra hours on the timesheet
- Contact their county social worker to request a reassessment (Correct answer)
- File a complaint with the state
Correct answer: Contact their county social worker to request a reassessment
Recipients can request an interim reassessment at any time if their condition changes significantly, and they should contact their county social worker to initiate this process.
Question 7: Which of the following tasks would typically require explicit authorization in an IHSS care plan before a provider can be paid to perform it?
- Talking with the recipient during a scheduled visit
- Accompanying the recipient to a medical appointment (Correct answer)
- Contacting the county office on the recipient's behalf
- Notifying the social worker of a change in the recipient's condition
Correct answer: Accompanying the recipient to a medical appointment
Accompaniment to medical appointments is an authorized IHSS task that must be listed in the care plan; providers are only compensated for tasks that have been specifically assessed and approved.
IHSS Care Planning and Authorized Hours 1
Who is responsible for conducting the in-home needs assessment that determines an IHSS recipient's authorized services?