Question 1

Who regulates home care agencies that send caregivers into a senior's home in the Twin Cities?

Accepted Answer

Home care providers in Minnesota are licensed and regulated by MDH, and complaints against a licensed home care agency go to the same Office of Health Facility Complaints line as facility complaints: 651-201-4200 (metro) or 1-800-369-7994 (greater Minnesota). No separate, dedicated home-care-only complaint hotline exists.

Question 2

What is the Elderly Waiver and what does it cover?

Accepted Answer

The Elderly Waiver (EW) is Minnesota's Medicaid home- and community-based services waiver for seniors 65+ who are Medical Assistance eligible and assessed via MnCHOICES as needing a nursing-facility level of care. It covers personal care assistance, homemaker services, home health aide, case management, adult day services, respite care, home-delivered meals, and — inside licensed assisted living — 'customized living' or '24-hour customized living' service packages, but it never pays room and board.

Question 3

What is Alternative Care and how is it different from the Elderly Waiver?

Accepted Answer

Alternative Care (AC) is a Minnesota state-funded program — no federal Medicaid match — for seniors who need Elderly-Waiver-equivalent services but aren't yet financially eligible for Medical Assistance. It uses largely the same service array and cost cap as EW and is designed to delay or prevent a Medicaid spend-down or nursing home placement, while EW itself requires the person to already be MA-eligible.

Question 4

How do I apply for Medical Assistance long-term care or a waiver in the Twin Cities?

Accepted Answer

Start by contacting your county human services agency (Hennepin, Ramsey, Dakota, Anoka, or Washington County) or calling the Senior LinkAge Line at 1-800-333-2433 to request a MnCHOICES long-term-care needs assessment, which determines functional eligibility, alongside a separate financial application for Medical Assistance.

Question 5

Does Medicaid pay for the full cost of assisted living in Minnesota?

Accepted Answer

No. Medical Assistance, through the Elderly Waiver, pays only for the care-services portion delivered inside a licensed assisted living facility, never the room-and-board charge. Minnesota does not have a broad state subsidy that covers private-pay room and board, though very-low-income residents in certain licensed settings may qualify for a separate, narrower Housing Support benefit to help offset it.

Community	Care type	Address	County
Allina Health Home Care Services – Twin Cities Metro	Home Health & Home Care	2925 Chicago Ave Minneapolis, MN 55407	Hennepin
Saint Therese of Oxbow Lake	Assisted Living	5200 Oak Grove Parkway Brooklyn Park, MN 55443	Hennepin
FirstLight Home Care of Plymouth	Home Health & Home Care	4205 Lancaster Lane N, Suite 103 Plymouth, MN 55441	Hennepin
Our Lady of Peace	Hospice	2076 St. Anthony Ave St. Paul, MN 55104	Ramsey
Optage Home & Community Services	Home Health & Home Care	2845 Hamline Ave N Roseville, MN 55113	Ramsey
Home Instead – St. Paul, MN	Home Health & Home Care	2480 White Bear Ave St. Paul, MN 55109	Ramsey
Saint Therese of Woodbury	Assisted Living	7555 Bailey Road Woodbury, MN 55129	Washington

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