What is the Independent Caregiver, in Home Care Option? 
It is a Nevada Medicaid-paid home care option. The recipient interviews and chooses their own caregiver. That caregiver then contracts with the State to work under the direction of the recipient. (That is, fully self-directed homecare.) The option saves the State a little money by cutting out the middleman's profits. More importantly, it gives greater independence to people with disabilities. 

Here is a brief overview.

Independent Caregiver Option Advantages:

• Provides the least restrictive recipient directed care.
• Recipient determines how his care is done.  (No agency policies, nor caregiver preferences, are imposed on recipients.)
• Recipient chooses or dismisses the person who will be doing their personal care.  (Must pass FBI check and be authorized by licensed nurse when nursing tasks are required.)
• Recipient controls all scheduling of his own care.  (No agency notifications/authorizations.)

• Grants caregiver higher wages, $15.52 per hour.  (Most Nevada caregivers are otherwise receiving about five dollars less per hour for their services from various for-profit homecare agencies.)
• Although it means more money for the caregiver, this higher wage saves the state 8% from the next lowest costing Nevada Medicaid paid homecare services, ($17.02 paid to for-profit homecare agencies).  
• The reasonable wage for the Independent Caregiver encourages more applicants and better care for those receiving homecare.
• It also encourages long-term participation, (or career mindedness), of caregivers in a shrinking field.

Who should enroll in the Independent Caregiver Option?
You should file a discrimination complaint to gain access to this option if:

• You are Nevada Medicaid eligible and, require homecare to remain outside of an institutional setting.
• You are willing to go through the hassle of interviewing and selecting your own caregivers.
• You are willing to lay out a schedule for your home care and keep an accurate account of the hours worked by the caregiver(s).
• You want your caregivers to be directly paid by the state, wages of $15.52 per hour.
• You can supervise your own personal care* and want the freedom to do so.

You have a right to this home care option.  The Independent Caregiver Option should not be unfairly withheld from any eligible recipient, who desires to use it and is capable of managing their own home care*.

*In cases where a home care recipient desires to use the Independent Caregiver Option, but is not capable of directing their own care, that person's "responsible person" must also be allowed fair access to the option.