SDS conducts the level-of-care work
The SDS Assessment Unit says it is responsible for assessment and level-of-care determinations in listed long-term-service pathways, and the state's HCBS overview says trained staff conduct functional assessments through in-person interviews or video calls with supervisory nursing review. The same assessment framework determines whether the person meets the nursing-facility level of care needed for institutional or waiver options (Alaska SDS Assessment Unit; Alaska HCBS waiver overview).
A 2025 Alaska elder-law presentation describes Nursing Facility Level of Care, or NFLOC, as the central medical criterion and describes care-coordinator involvement, medical documentation, SDS assessment, and a support plan. Because this is a dated educational presentation rather than a current SDS assessment notice, applicants should get current instructions from SDS and the facility (Alaska LTC Medicaid eligibility presentation).
Alaska's nursing-home personal-needs allowance
Alaska's July 2025 DPA COCA guide sets the personal-needs allowance at $200 per month for a person living in a nursing home. The guide lists that allowance as a deduction in the calculation of the recipient's Cost of Care Amount and says the calculation can also account for unreimbursed medical expenses, insurance premiums, certain guardian fees, taxes, and support for a spouse or dependents (Alaska DPA COCA guide).
The state guide says a recipient with a COCA gets both a Medicaid eligibility letter and a COCA letter showing income, approved expenses, and the monthly payment. It instructs recipients to report relevant changes within 10 days and allows a Fair Hearing request within 30 days if the COCA amount is disputed (Alaska DPA COCA guide).
Nursing facilities also use preadmission screening processes. Alaska publishes a PASRR Level I form for long-term-care facilities, which is a separate screening function from DPA's financial decision and SDS's level-of-care decision (Alaska PASRR Level I form).
Alaska nursing-home sequence: DPA financial eligibility, SDS level-of-care work, facility screening as applicable, and a monthly COCA calculation. The published nursing-home personal-needs allowance is $200/month (
Alaska DPA COCA guide).
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