Home Care Paperwork Checklist for NYC Families: Documents to Gather Before You Apply

Why a home care documents checklist saves weeks

Getting home care in New York City usually involves several organizations: HRA for the Medicaid application, the New York Independent Assessor for the assessment, an MLTC plan, and a home care agency. Each one asks for documents, and each one can pause the process when something is missing. A home care documents checklist lets you gather everything once, keep it in one place, and hand over copies quickly.

Start a folder now, paper or digital. Make photocopies or clear phone scans of each document, and keep originals at home in a safe spot. Label everything with your parent’s name. If you are helping from another city, a shared digital folder makes it easier for siblings to contribute.

1. Identity, age and status

• Government-issued photo ID (driver’s license, state ID, IDNYC or passport).
• Birth certificate or another proof of age.
• Proof of U.S. citizenship (birth certificate or U.S. passport) or immigration documents, such as a green card or naturalization certificate.
• Social Security card, or at least the number written down accurately.
• Marriage certificate, divorce decree or a spouse’s death certificate, if relevant to income or assets.

If a document is lost, start the replacement now. Some replacements take weeks, and an application can sometimes be submitted while you wait if you explain what is pending.

2. Insurance and coverage cards

• Medicare card (red, white and blue), plus any Medicare Advantage or Part D plan card.
• Medicaid card (the New York benefit card), if your parent already has Medicaid.
• Any supplemental or retiree health insurance cards.
• Long-term care insurance policy and the company’s claim contact information.
• VA health care card, if your parent is a veteran.

Many older New Yorkers have both Medicare and Medicaid. That matters for which plans they can join. Our guide on Medicare and Medicaid together for dual-eligible New Yorkers explains how the two fit.

3. Proof of New York City address

• A lease, NYCHA rent statement, deed or mortgage statement.
• A recent utility bill (Con Edison, National Grid) in your parent’s name.
• Recent mail from a government agency, such as Social Security.

If your parent lives with you and nothing is in their name, a signed letter from the household plus your own proof of address is often accepted. Ask HRA what they need in your situation.

4. Income and resources

This is the section that slows most Medicaid applications down. Medicaid counts both monthly income and resources (savings and other assets), and the limits change each year, so check the current figures with HRA or New York State Medicaid rather than relying on an old article. Gather:

• Social Security award letter for the current year.
• Pension statements and any annuity paperwork.
• Pay stubs, if your parent still works.
• Bank statements for checking and savings accounts. Ask HRA how many months they need for the type of coverage you are applying for.
• Statements for investments, CDs, IRAs or 401(k) accounts.
• Life insurance policies (face value and cash value).
• Burial fund, prepaid funeral contract or burial plot documents.
• Deeds to any property other than the home, plus rental income records.

New York has approved a lookback period for Medicaid home care, but as of this writing its start has been delayed more than once. Ask HRA or an elder law professional what currently applies before moving any money.

If income is over the limit, your parent may still qualify. Read about the Medicaid spend-down and pooled income trusts in NYC. If one spouse needs care and the other does not, see our guide on spousal refusal and caring for a spouse at home.

5. Medical information

Medical records do not decide the hours on their own, but they help the assessor and the practitioner understand your parent’s condition. Collect:

• A current medication list with doses, times and the pharmacy’s name.
• Names, addresses and phone numbers of the primary care doctor and specialists.
• Recent hospital, emergency room or rehab discharge summaries.
• Therapy notes from physical or occupational therapy, if any.
• A list of diagnoses and any recent changes, such as falls or new confusion.
• Equipment your parent already uses: walker, wheelchair, hospital bed, oxygen.

Also start a simple daily log of the help your parent needs with bathing, dressing, toileting, moving around and eating. Medicaid hours are based on these needs, not the diagnosis alone. Our guide to how the Medicaid home care assessment decides your hours explains why that log matters.

6. Legal documents

• Health care proxy, naming who can make medical decisions if your parent cannot.
• Durable power of attorney, naming who can handle finances and paperwork.
• Guardianship papers, if a court has appointed a guardian.
• Any advance directives or a MOLST form, if your parent has one.

If your parent can still make decisions but you will be handling the paperwork, they will usually need to sign an authorization or designate you as an authorized representative on the Medicaid application. Getting a power of attorney in place early avoids problems later.

How to use this checklist

1. Print it and check off what you already have.
2. Request replacements for missing items right away.
3. Scan everything into one folder and keep originals safe.
4. Bring copies, not originals, to appointments unless asked.
5. Write down every person you speak with and what they asked for.

Some families hand the financial part to a professional. Our article on Medicaid application help in NYC explains what these services do. For the full sequence from first call to first shift, see how to get started with home care in NYC. If your parent needs care right away, the Immediate Need pathway has its own forms.

Related Guides

Getting started with home care · Medicaid application help · Immediate Need home care