Can Family Caregivers Get Paid Through Medicaid? –

When a relative can not bathe safely or forgets to take their medicines, you could step in to offer care. As a household caregiver, you could help with bathing, dressing, and consuming. These duties are generally known as actions of every day residing (ADLs). Caregivers may assist with instrumental actions of every day residing (IADLs), resembling cooking, cleansing, and purchasing.

About 1 in 4 Individuals serves as a household caregiver. That’s about 63 million folks, with household caregivers spending a median of 4 hours every day serving to their older family members.

GoodRx, a platform for treatment financial savings, outlines how one can receives a commission to take care of a member of the family by means of Medicaid. These applications go by totally different names relying on the place you reside, and guidelines and pay charges differ by state.

Key takeaways:

All states and the District of Columbia pay household caregivers by means of Medicaid. However the guidelines, necessities, and fee charges differ.
To qualify, the individual receiving care have to be eligible for Medicaid and need assistance with actions of every day residing. Caregivers may have to satisfy state-specific necessities.
Medicaid applications that pay caregivers embrace state plans and waiver applications. Some states exclude spouses and oldsters of younger kids from being paid household caregivers.

Which states pay household caregivers?

All states and the District of Columbia have a minimum of one Medicaid program that pays household caregivers. However every state units its personal guidelines. Some enable funds to oldsters caring for youngsters. Different states have strict limits on who can obtain fee.

What’s the common pay price for household caregivers?

In some states, household caregivers can earn as a lot as $26 per hour, whereas in others, the pay is round $16 per hour. The Bureau of Labor Statistics studies that residence well being and private care aides earned almost $17 per hour in 2024.

Household caregiver pay charges differ considerably throughout the nation. Elements that have an effect on household caregiver charges embrace:

Location: States and cities with the next price of residing often pay extra.
Sort of caregiving program: Pay might differ relying on whether or not the caregiver is compensated by means of Medicaid, a state waiver program, or personal preparations.
Degree of care wanted: Caring for somebody with extra advanced medical or every day residing wants might result in increased charges.
Coaching and {qualifications}: Caregivers with specialised abilities or certifications might earn extra.
State budgets: States resolve how a lot to allocate for caregiving providers, which straight impacts pay charges.
Supplier sort or construction: Some states pay totally different charges relying on whether or not care is supplied by means of an company, managed care plan, or straight by a household caregiver.

Medicaid fee charges for household caregivers could also be totally different. A current KFF report discovered that Medicaid applications pay round $18 per hour for private care providers. However many states had problem reporting their common hourly Medicaid fee charges. Some states talked about challenges on account of providers being bundled and variation between waivers and state plans. Others use managed care plans that don’t share fee particulars with the state. This lack of transparency makes it obscure what household caregivers truly earn by means of Medicaid.

Beginning July 2026, states will probably be required to publish their hourly Medicaid fee charges for various kinds of caregiving providers. This contains homemaker providers, private care, residence well being aide providers, and habilitation. If charges differ by supplier sort, geography, or different components, states should report every of these charges.

Which states pay household caregivers probably the most?

The nationwide common hourly price for in-home caregivers is about $22 per hour. Alaska, California, Massachusetts, and Washington supply a number of the highest common hourly charges—about $24 to $26 per hour. Under are the highest 10 highest-paying states for household caregivers, in response to knowledge from Care.com.

However these are common household caregiver charges and aren’t particular to Medicaid. Precise pay could also be totally different relying in your state’s Medicaid program, price of residing, and degree of care wanted.

Who’s eligible for Medicaid household caregivers?

To qualify, each the individual receiving care and the caregiver should meet sure necessities. Eligibility guidelines differ by state, however most states comply with the identical fundamental pointers.

Eligibility necessities for the care recipient

The individual receiving care should:

Obtain Medicaid advantages
Need assistance with ADLs and IADLs
Meet their state’s standards (folks of any age typically qualify, so long as they’ve a incapacity, a power situation, or one other well being problem that requires assist with every day actions)
Register with their state’s caregiver service (for instance, in New York, folks within the Client Directed Private Help Program should register with a third-party service)

For the household caregiver

To qualify for fee, household caregivers might have to:

Test your state’s web site to see its eligibility guidelines.

Which Medicaid applications are used to pay caregivers?

States use totally different Medicaid applications to pay caregivers. Most applications let the individual receiving care select their very own caregiver, which is usually a relative. This is named self-directed care.

These applications are typically supplied in two methods. Some are a part of the common Medicaid state plan. Others are waiver applications that enable states to offer providers that aren’t included in Medicaid.

Listed below are some widespread Medicaid applications that pay household caregivers.

Dwelling and community-based providers (HCBS)

HCBS is a part of a state’s common Medicaid plan. It’s obtainable to anybody who qualifies for Medicaid and meets the care wants set by the state.

Below HCBS, the state creates a care plan for every recipient and will give them a finances to rent the caregiver they need.

Group First Alternative (CFC)

CFC is a state plan possibility for individuals who want a excessive degree of care however need to keep at residence. It covers assist with every day duties, like bathing, dressing, and consuming.

If the state permits it, the individual receiving care can select a member of the family to offer these providers.

Self-directed private help providers (PAS)

PAS may be supplied by means of each common state Medicaid and waiver applications. This program provides folks extra management over their care choices.

Care recipients get a finances to purchase provides or rent a private care assistant. Recipients resolve what coaching their caregiver wants and the way a lot to pay them.

HCBS waivers

HCBS waiver applications assist individuals who want nursing home-level care keep at residence. States resolve who qualifies for these applications. For instance, some waivers are for older adults solely, whereas others are for folks with particular diagnoses, like cerebral palsy or autism.

HCBS waivers cowl providers like private care, homemaker providers, and grownup day care. Many let the individual receiving care select their caregiver.

Structured household caregiving

Structured household caregiving is a waiver program that pays members of the family to offer 24-hour care and supervision at residence. In states the place it’s supplied, the caregiver should dwell with the individual receiving care.

Caregivers obtain coaching and help to assist with caregiving duties. This system additionally contains respite care.

Paid household caregiver applications go by totally different names relying on the state. Each state gives a minimum of one Medicaid program to pay household caregivers, although most states use waiver applications.

As a result of states resolve how many individuals can take part in waiver applications, availability is proscribed. When applications are full, new candidates could also be positioned on a waitlist.

To search out out which waiver applications can be found, verify your state’s Medicaid web site. It’s also possible to contact your Medicaid workplace or Space Company on Growing older.

What’s foster take care of adults?

Grownup foster care is a home-based care possibility for individuals who need assistance with every day duties however not full-time medical care. It’s usually utilized by older adults or these with disabilities who need to dwell in a family-style residence as an alternative of a facility.

Care is often supplied within the caregiver’s residence, with 24-hour supervision and assist with ADLs and IADLs. This setup differs from common household caregiving, wherein care occurs within the recipient’s residence.

Every state runs grownup foster applications in a different way. States resolve who qualifies and the way houses function. Some states enable members of the family to be paid caregivers for kin in grownup foster applications. The variety of residents per residence is commonly restricted to 5 or fewer. Medicaid might assist pay for foster take care of adults however doesn’t cowl hire or meals.

The underside line

All states and the District of Columbia have a minimum of one Medicaid program that pays household caregivers. However the guidelines and pay charges differ by state. To qualify, the care recipient should obtain Medicaid advantages and require assist with every day actions. The household caregiver should enroll as a care supplier and will require a certification.

States usually use Medicaid state plans or waiver applications to pay household caregivers, however waiver applications usually have ready lists.

This story was produced by GoodRx and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.

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