Rhode Island (RI) Veterans Directed Care Program (VDC)

The Veteran Directed Care (VDC) Program is the VA Healthcare System Program that works with Massachusetts Aging and Disability Network Agencies (ADNAs)  to provide the VDC program to RI Veterans. The program provides Veterans, in need of nursing home level care, a budget to buy services to support them in their homes. Tempus Unlimited will perform employer-required tasks and related administrative tasks for individuals (“Employers”) in our VDC Program as the Fiscal Intermediary (FI).

All ADNAs will pay the FI  a monthly administrative rate for services provided.

Veterans use their budget to hire their own personal care workers, including family members.

Veterans may not:

  • Use agencies to provide workers
  • Hire people with legal financial responsibility or activated health care proxies

 

What Services are Available

  • Hiring private caregiver(s) to complete activities of daily living (ADLs) such as eating, bathing, dressing, grooming, and toileting
  • Adult day health care
  • In-home respite services from community home care agencies
  • Assistive technology such as emergency response systems and electronic pill reminders
  • Snow removal
  • Durable Medical Equipment (DME) and personal care supplies not provided by the VA
  • Individual requests for medically necessary items will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis

Eligibility

The Veteran:

 

  • Is Enrolled in the VA Healthcare System
  • Has had a Primary Care appointment with a VA Medical Center primary care provider during the previous 12 months
  • Is dependent on another person to complete -bathing, grooming, dressing, toileting, eating, ambulation, transferring, and bed mobility

(RI) Responsibilities

  • The Veteran is responsible to hire, schedule, and train people to complete personal care tasks.
  • If the Veteran is either cognitively or physically unable to manage the program, a representative must be assigned. The surrogate must live with the Veteran or regularly visit the Veteran in their home to monitor care.

These are some of the employer-required tasks Tempus Unlimited, Inc. performs as Fiscal Intermediary:

  • Register the employer with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and other state tax agencies;
  • Process payrolls, and issue payroll checks and direct deposits as a Fiscal Employer Agent for the Worker (the employee of the employer);
  • Deposit taxes and file tax reports with the IRS and other state agencies;
  • Process state and federal unemployment payments and reports;
  • Purchase workers’ compensation insurance for the employer;
  • Provide customer service to the employers and their workers;
  • Supply documents and forms needed to process payroll for the worker.

(RI) EMPLOYER INFORMATION

This page contains important information for employers to help them manage their workers.  Employer setup forms and links can be found here.

(RI) Veterans Directed Care Program (VDC)

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)

  • Can an Employer call on a Monday to verify that we received their timesheet/paperwork?
  • When are timesheets due in the FI (Fiscal Intermediary) office?
  • Should I fax or mail my timesheets in?
  • What are your business hours?
  • Do Workers get overtime pay for holidays?
  • Why wasn’t I paid for all the hours submitted on my timesheets?
  • How do I stop my worker’s Direct Deposit?
  • My check was mailed, but I haven’t received it, what should I do now?
  • What do I do if I receive the check I placed a stop payment on previously?
  • How do I terminate a worker?
  • Why isn’t a worker paid when an employer is in the hospital or long-term care facility?
  • When are your fax machines on?
  • Are my worker’s Tempus Unlimited FI or ASAP Agency employees?
  • What is the Office of Inspector General (OIG) Verification?
  • How can I get more timesheets, W4s, I9 forms or your weekly schedules?

 Can an Employer call on a Monday to verify that we received their timesheet/paperwork?

  • You can call to see if the timesheet was processed, if not, inform the caller to note the time he/she faxed it and he/she can call the following day between 7:30am – 4:30pm and we will be happy to verify receipt of the timesheet/paperwork.

When are timesheets due in the FI (Fiscal Intermediary) office?

  • For you to get your workers checks in a timely manner (on Fridays based on your weekly schedule), we need to have your timesheet (in good order) no later than 4:00pm on Monday following the reporting period.

Should I fax or mail my timesheets in?

  • For faster payment of timesheets, we strongly recommend that you fax them to us at 1-800-359-2884.

What are your business hours?

  • Our Consumer Relations Department is available to answer your calls 7:30 am – 4:30 pm Monday through Friday.

Do Workers get overtime pay for holidays?

  • No. the (RI) VDC Program does not allow for Holiday Pay.

Why wasn’t I paid for all the hours submitted on my timesheets?

  • There are various reasons for this, we recommend that you call our Consumer Relations Department.

How do I stop my worker’s Direct Deposit?

  • Please have your worker request in writing.  Make sure they include your (employer’s) name and company code (Consumer #).  They will then need to provide us with a new direct deposit application, debit card enrollment form or DD Exemption Form, as Direct Deposit is mandatory for all workers.

My check was mailed, but I haven’t received it, what should I do now?

  • Please give us a call, if we are able to verify that you have been paid, you may request we put a stop payment on the check.  We will issue a new check after 5 business days. 

What do I do if I receive the check I placed a stop payment on previously?

  • You cannot cash the check as it has been stopped. Please destroy or VOID the check.

How do I terminate a worker?

  • You can terminate a worker at any time; you will need to complete a VDC/Worker Employment Termination Form.  The reason for termination is helpful for us if the worker applies for unemployment.

Why isn’t a worker paid when an employer is in the hospital or long-term care facility?

  • This is a regulation set by the VA.  There are no exceptions.

When are your fax machines on?

  • Fax machines are on 24 hours 7 days a week.
Are my worker’s Tempus Unlimited FI or ADNA Agency employees?

  • NO. You hire them, train them, decide on their hours and terminate them if you have to. You are the employer of record for the state and federal governments, not Tempus Unlimited (FI) or the ADNA Agencies.

What is the Office of Inspector General (OIG) Verification?

  • We are required by law to check your new worker hires on the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) to see if there are any restrictions for their employment.  If their name appears on this list, we will notify you immediately and no payroll can be processed for these individuals.

Contact

(RI) Veterans Directed Care Program (VDC):

Phone:

(877) 479-7577

Fax:

(800) 359-2884

Contact 

PCM, Agency, and Partner