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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Child Care Subsidy
awestbrook713 08:59 AM 11-02-2011
How many of you have families that get assistance? Is this a pain, or is it a good thing. I have one family that said a while ago they were going to apply and didn't but now its probably gonna happen since I am raising my rates and they don't think they can pay what I am asking by themselves. I also started a new family on tuesday and mom just called saying she thinks she may be eligible is this ok, I said yes but now I am worried because I have heard ppl say to try to not deal with the subsidy programs that they are a pain. I went to my local CCR&R and read up on it. I know that it says you get paid monthly but how do they decide what you get paid is it based on what you charge or do they decide what the families should be paying. Any info from anyone thats familiar with this would be great! Thanks
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Blackcat31 09:01 AM 11-02-2011
It is different for every state. I think how each state does it is the deciding factor on whether providers take the families who use it. Our state used to be awful but have since made it very "provider-friendly"
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awestbrook713 09:05 AM 11-02-2011
I hope new york is provider friendly. I wonder how this will work since I'm not changing my rates until january, I don't want them to apply and then have to refill out paper work because I know how things like this can be.
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Oneluckymom 09:13 AM 11-02-2011
Do any of you know if it is "provider friendly" in california. I was wondering if this is something I should offer but was worried about the process and getting reimbursed.
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Springdaze 09:15 AM 11-02-2011
Chances are they dont care what you charge. Mine pays me the going rate, minus a copay if the family has one then I can charge the difference on top of it. for instance, I have a family with 2 kids. the state pays me 1015 and their charge normally would be 1200 so I charge them the difference. NJ has this thing they are trying to set up where in a home daycare the parent has to call a number when they drop off and pick up and centers get a swipe card. I kinda see that as a pain, but they keep pushing it back so I dont know how its going to go.

I dont mind taking subsidies because I atleast know I am going to get my money and if they dont pay the copay, they get dropped from the program and cant use it somewhere else either. of course I dont enforce it, which is another post, but if you enforce it, you will get your money!
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awestbrook713 09:17 AM 11-02-2011
From what I have seen trying to research this the best thing to do would probably be call your licensing office and get more info.

My daycare kids schedules are so messed up so I don't know how this works. I have read they decide the rates by taking the going market rate for your area and the family income then the family is responsible for the remainder if the subsidy doesn't cover it all. I am hoping I won't have a problem since I am well below the market rate still. We will see....
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MarinaVanessa 09:46 AM 11-02-2011
Originally Posted by Oneluckymom:
Do any of you know if it is "provider friendly" in california. I was wondering if this is something I should offer but was worried about the process and getting reimbursed.
I'm in CA and I accept subsidy and I'm okay with it because I consider it "provider friendly" enough. You should contact your local office though and ask questions because some organizations work a little different than others.

I go through an organization called Child Development Resources and it also acts as our local resource and refferal service. They let us charge the client until we get that first reimbursement check and allow us to just reimburse the client back. It is strange how they reimburse though so some months they pay exactly what I am owed, some they pay less ($15-$20) and sometimes they pay more ($15-$20). I say they pay less and more because their formula is wierd so whatever they send me is what it is. Even when it's more they say it's correct ???

Since they pay monthly and I charge weekly all I do is divide my weekly rate by 5 and multiply that by the number of weekdays in the month. If the check that I get for that month is less than what I should have gotten then I charge the client for that amount. If it's more then I keep it as a non-refundable credit towards the next reimbursement that is short.

Also I only accept 2 clients at a time on subsidy, 1 FT and 1 PT. I prefer it that way so that if the budget doesn't pass on time I only get delayed payents for 2 clients (I only have 1 client on subsity at the moment).

I print out my sign-in sheet for my client online on the last day of the month that has the dates for the next month. They sign in and out everyday and at the end of the month I photo copy the sign-in sheet (for my records) and turn in the original within 3 business days (or mail it). Payments are delayed by two months for me so I'll get my payment for November in January.

It's pretty clean cut. They also send a "notice of action" if the parent doesn't keep up with paperwork or certain requirements or if there are any changes in their reimbursements and they recommend that if the clients subsity is suspended that we NOT take care of the kids without requireing them to pay out of pocket in advance first.

Where I am in order to sign up you first have to find a client that will need subsity. Once the client goes through the application process and becomes approved the organization sets an appointment with the provider and you must show them your license, contract and policies. You then sign a contract through them (mainly for fraud etc). Once you have a client currently signed up for subsity it's easier to add and sign on another client on subsity. All the client does is give them your name and licence number and then you wait for their notice of action that says that they have been approved and their starting date. If your subsidy client leaves you and later you get another client that wants to be on subsity and there was a lapse between subsity clients then you have to start the whole process all over.

I hope this helps you some.
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2ndFamilyDC 10:52 AM 11-02-2011
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
It is different for every state. I think how each state does it is the deciding factor on whether providers take the families who use it. Our state used to be awful but have since made it very "provider-friendly"


You think it is provider friendly? I think it is a total pain in the you know what.

I have one family on it. What I dislike about it is that it takes 4 Ever to get
reimbursed. It will go in streaks where I get a check every two weeks and then Bam, it goes to 3 weeks, then 4!! I call to check on my claim and they never return phone calls. One time a Human actually answered the phone and she said, "well we had a holiday in there so that puts us behind" It was Good Friday. But the claim I was waiting on had been mailed in 6 weeks prior to that so I did not see why that should have made a difference.

I don't like it. But I love the family I do it for. The boy is what I call
Easy Money..............a very good kid.

Plus, they just decreased the amount of money I get.......by a few dollars, but still.
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Blackcat31 11:25 AM 11-02-2011
Originally Posted by 2ndFamilyDC:
You think it is provider friendly? I think it is a total pain in the you know what.

I have one family on it. What I dislike about it is that it takes 4 Ever to get
reimbursed. It will go in streaks where I get a check every two weeks and then Bam, it goes to 3 weeks, then 4!! I call to check on my claim and they never return phone calls. One time a Human actually answered the phone and she said, "well we had a holiday in there so that puts us behind" It was Good Friday. But the claim I was waiting on had been mailed in 6 weeks prior to that so I did not see why that should have made a difference.

I don't like it. But I love the family I do it for. The boy is what I call
Easy Money..............a very good kid.

Plus, they just decreased the amount of money I get.......by a few dollars, but still.
Aww, that sucks....must be my county then that is so great! Once they made the switch to ME2, I now am paid by direct deposit every other Wednesday like clock work. I haven't had one single late payment yet. I also can reach the case worker for the families every. single. time. I call. If I do happen to get voice mail, she calls me back within the hour!

I'm sorry your county doesn't have their ducks in a row.. The paperwork we gets says that they only have 30 days max. to pay you so they should never be beyond that.

I also have all my families on CCAP pre-pay their co-pays so that is never an issue and since I have my degree, I am paid a higher reimbursement rate than standard care. I am also paid for evey single day a family schedules (NOT just the time they are actually here.) and although they lowered the reimbursement rate, I still charge the same so the extra cost is now absorbed by the parent along with their co-pay. I think for my parents it will amount to $3.20 more per week that they will ahve ot pay.

What county are you in that is so wacky? I wonder if it has anything to do with how many people are on the program that keeps them bogged down like that?

I used to have 75% of my families on CCAP, but when the government shutdown happened in July, I am now down to only 2 and that will be changing by the end of the year too.

Boy, if it worked here like it does for you, I wouldn't even take CCAP families at all.
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VTMom 11:28 AM 11-02-2011
I have a family who receives subsidy and I find it very easy. When I reregister annually, I submit my rates. The state determines how much to subsidize which is often a percentage. They also have a standard amount that they will pay (so if your rates are higher, it's the family's responsibility). The family is then obligated to pay the "co-pay". We're paid every other week and I submit hours online. The certificate declaring the amount subsidized, their co-pay and the expiration date is also available under my log-on.

This is my first experience and it's only been 6 months, but I don't regret it for a second.
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Meeko 01:07 PM 11-02-2011
In some states it's a nightmare. Paid after the fact...oodles of paperwork....required to take what's given and not what you actually charge etc.

Utah is pretty good here. The parent applies and gets approved. At the end of each month, we can check a web site and make sure money is going to be on their card for the following month. On the first of each month, I transfer the funds directly from the card to my bank account. Done.

I can charge what I want. The parent has to make up any difference between what the state pays and what I charge. The parents is approved for 6 months at a time.
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GrannyJ 01:36 PM 11-02-2011
Last year I lost my whole daycare because of the budget cuts. I had 5 children on subsidized pay. I made really good money, more than I would of charged clients. Now I have one child on subsidize pay. It usually works out to what I would get for a regular client. The paper work is easy but you never know when you will get paid. It is once a month but they tell you they can be behind a month before you can call to see if anything is wrong. They delay payment over any little thing so you have to make sure you fill out your paper correctly each month and submit it as soon as you can.
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mismatchedsocks 01:45 PM 11-02-2011
Here in WI, its ok. I have a few families on subsidy, and their co pay is $10-15 a week. I get their money 2 weeks later, so really I have to wait when they start 2 weeks to get paid, and then after they leave here I get paid 2 weeks after that. I get paid every other week, and its the same to me as getting paid, if I can wait for the 2 week period to get that first check. If I couldnt wait, I would have the parents pay me the two weeks out of pocket and return to them when I got paid. I also do all the attendance turning in on line, and can see when a family needs a review and can remind them.
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awestbrook713 02:09 PM 11-02-2011
Wow this makes me nervous, I hope my county has their stuff together because honestly we have bills to pay and I would find them not paying you at a decent time ridiculous. I will just have to wait and see what goes on.
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Blackcat31 02:19 PM 11-02-2011
Originally Posted by awestbrook713:
Wow this makes me nervous, I hope my county has their stuff together because honestly we have bills to pay and I would find them not paying you at a decent time ridiculous. I will just have to wait and see what goes on.
Do you know any other providers in your area that you could possibly connect with and ask about their experiences with the subsidy program? That way you could find out first hand how your states program works. If you don't know any home providers, maybe try calling a center and talk with the person who deals with billing.

I have reached out to providers I didn't know just to ask them certain questions about programs or trainings or whatever and have made a few good friends that way.
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awestbrook713 02:21 PM 11-02-2011
My cousin has been in the business for over 5 years now she is only a few counties over so I will have to talk to her.
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mom2many 02:31 PM 11-02-2011
Originally Posted by Oneluckymom:
Do any of you know if it is "provider friendly" in california. I was wondering if this is something I should offer but was worried about the process and getting reimbursed.
I am in CA and have been part of the state subsidized programs for years. It has never caused me any difficulties ever. The parent's sign the child in and out each day and I submit the attendance at the end of the month for reimbursement.

I have been involved with several different programs and they all work about the same... Cal Works, Choices for Children & Paceapp.

The only issue or concerns I have had was when the state budget had not got passed and our checks were held up. We eventually got them once it was approved.

Also, when the state began to make cutbacks many low income families were told they would be losing their funding, so I was not sure how many kids I would lose. It ended up not affecting any of my families, so I was not hurt financially by losing anyone.

They have always paid me my current rates, so it has actually been fine overall.
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DaycareMama 02:42 PM 11-02-2011
I am in Ny also. If you PM me your email and county I can email you the going rates for where you are
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nannyde 03:29 PM 11-02-2011
I don't take the subsidy. The rate is TERRIBLE in Iowa. It's 120 a week or less for as much as ten hour days. Rediculous.
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wdmmom 03:36 PM 11-02-2011
I'm in Iowa as well. The rates are horrible! If I took subsidy, I'd be paid about half of my going rate!
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MarinaVanessa 03:47 PM 11-02-2011
Originally Posted by nannyde:
I don't take the subsidy. The rate is TERRIBLE in Iowa. It's 120 a week or less for as much as ten hour days. Rediculous.
That's awful. That's one good thing about CA. They don't tell you what the maximum that they cover will be and it depends on the families income whether they get their entire childcare payment covered or if they have to pay a family fee (co-pay).

I charge $160 a week and they cover it most of the time (they pay strange). What they don't cover I can charge my clients and they give me the difference personally.
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melskids 03:57 PM 11-02-2011
Originally Posted by awestbrook713:
Wow this makes me nervous, I hope my county has their stuff together because honestly we have bills to pay and I would find them not paying you at a decent time ridiculous. I will just have to wait and see what goes on.
our county is AWEFUL! it takes months to get our payments.

we just had a meeting with one of our state senators about this. from what i heard, your county is really on the ball, and easy to work with. we are trying to change things in our county to be as efficient as yours, and they were using your county as a model, so i wouldnt worry too much.
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MsMe 03:59 PM 11-02-2011
In Iowa they pay in 5 hour units.

The State fee does not cover all of my fee but I am only allowed to charge the family their 'per unit co-pay' it is based on the income the submit and mostly it is 0.00 the highest one I have seen in 1.70 (10 5 hour units per week) so they would owe 17.00 max per week.
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DaycareMama 04:06 PM 11-02-2011
Originally Posted by melskids:
our county is AWEFUL! it takes months to get our payments.

we just had a meeting with one of our state senators about this. from what i heard, your county is really on the ball, and easy to work with. we are trying to change things in our county to be as efficient as yours, and they were using your county as a model, so i wouldnt worry too much.
I think we are in the same county. I could of wrote all that myself
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melskids 04:14 PM 11-02-2011
Originally Posted by DaycareMama:
I think we are in the same county. I could of wrote all that myself
maybe LOL

were you at the sit down with the senator last week too? LOL
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awestbrook713 04:15 PM 11-02-2011
Thanks melskids this eases my mind. I hate change and so much is changing in my business lately.
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