Most people with disabilities receive services through agencies, meaning the agency decides who helps them, when, and how. Supports Brokering flips that around. Instead of an agency calling the shots, you do.
You pick your own workers, set your own schedule, and choose how your government-funded Medicaid waiver budget gets spent. A Supports Broker is a trained professional who helps you do all of this. Think of them as a coach who gives you the tools and information to make smart decisions but never makes those decisions for you.
It’s a common misconception that a Supports Broker and a Support Coordinator are the same thing. They’re not. A Support Coordinator navigates the system for you. A Supports Broker helps you navigate it yourself. In Pennsylvania, you can have both at the same time, and they work together to support you.
One of the biggest questions families ask is whether Supports Brokering costs anything. The good news: in Pennsylvania, it’s covered by your Medicaid waiver budget, so there’s no out-of-pocket cost. One thing to note, however, is that the cost of a Supports Broker can count against your individual service and support budget. This means it may impact funding for other services.
As for authorizations, they vary from person to person. For example, someone might be authorized for up to 5 hours of brokering services per week, with providers billing per quarter hour of services provided. Your Support Coordinator monitors how those hours are being used and can adjust the authorization up or down based on your needs.
Self-direction is backed by decades of disability rights law, and Supports Brokering is one of the most powerful tools available to those who want more control over their care.
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