Florida Statewide Medicaid Managed Care - Participant Directed Option (PDO)¶
Florida's Participant Directed Option (PDO) within the Statewide Medicaid Managed Care Long-Term Care program allows enrollees to hire family members including spouses and legally responsible individuals as paid caregivers. Eight managed care plans offer PDOs, with each plan setting its own fee schedule. As of June 2020, approximately 7,841 participants used PDO out of roughly 51,848 HCBS enrollees. Florida also has CDC+ for developmental disabilities.
Florida PDO provides participant-directed personal care through managed care. Participants can hire qualified people they choose, including family members, neighbors, or friends, as direct service workers. AHCA PDO materials do not publish one statewide hourly amount; direct service workers are paid by the health plan based on a set rate, and the participant/direct service worker agreement must include the hourly rate. No licensing is required for adult companion, homemaker, or personal care services. SMMC-LTC uses the SSI-related long-term care pathway: income up to 300% of the SSI Federal Benefit Rate ($2,982/month for an individual in 2026) and a $2,000 individual asset limit.
Eligibility¶
- Asset limit of $2,000
- Care recipient must have a qualifying disability
- Relationship: spouse, parent, child, sibling, grandparent, other relative, non relative
Services¶
Florida PDO provides participant-directed personal care through managed care. Participants can hire qualified people they choose, including family members, neighbors, or friends, as direct service workers. AHCA PDO materials do not publish one statewide hourly amount; direct service workers are paid by the health plan based on a set rate, and the participant/direct service worker agreement must include the hourly rate. No licensing is required for adult companion, homemaker, or personal care services. SMMC-LTC uses the SSI-related long-term care pathway: income up to 300% of the SSI Federal Benefit Rate ($2,982/month for an individual in 2026) and a $2,000 individual asset limit.
How to apply¶
Use the official program page for application details: official program page.