One of the most rewarding things you can do in your life is to care for a beloved family member. Professional caregivers generally do their best to provide compassionate care for people that need help with their activities of daily living (ADL), but hiring a professional caregiver isn’t always the best choice for everyone. Some family members have a greater comfort level when someone they know well becomes their caregiver. By becoming a paid caregiver, you have an opportunity to ensure that your family member is getting the best possible care, and you get the added benefit of spending quality time with them. 

To help you sort out the confusion of being a paid caregiver for a family member, we’re answering one of the most common questions, “Will Medicaid pay for a family member to be a caregiver?” We’ll also review who qualifies as a caregiver under Medicaid rules and how to get paid to be a family caregiver in Pennsylvania. 

Let’s begin by determining your eligibility.

Determine Your Eligibility

Your state Medicaid agency is the best place to start to answer the question, “Will Medicaid pay for a family member to be a caregiver?” 

If your loved one is eligible for the Medicaid program, they may be entitled to something called self-directed programs. All states that participate in the federal Medicaid program offer financial aid under the Self-Directed Service provision. The idea behind the Self-Directed Services program is to allow seniors and people with disabilities to have a say in how to use the money allotted to them through the Medicaid program to pay for goods and services that relate to their personal care needs.    

Enrollees in a Self-Directed Services program can opt to use their budget to hire caregivers and pay for their services. Your loved one may choose to hire you as their caregiver which can be a win-win situation for both of you. 

Can a Family Member Get Paid to Be a Caregiver in Pennsylvania?

Not all states allow family caregivers to be paid through the Medicaid assistance program, but Pennsylvania is one that does. 

The legislators in the state of Pennsylvania understand there’s a connection between making it possible for people who need care to have the ability to hire a paid family caregiver and the associated economic and health benefits to its residents. 

Simply put, you can get paid to care for a family member in Pennsylvania. It’s a way to help the caregiver better manage their own

finances while providing the best care for a loved one. 

Who Qualifies As a Caregiver Under Medicaid Rules?

Finally, who qualifies as a caregiver under Medicaid rules? The federal Medicaid program includes a specific program that funds services for individuals in their homes and in their communities. These types of programs are commonly referred to as Medicaid waivers. 

You might hear people refer to Medicaid waivers as Home and Community Based Services waivers (HCBS), 1915(c) waivers, or Section 1115 waivers. The federal guidelines for Medicaid waivers are intentionally broad so that states have flexibility in providing support and care services for people in their homes or near to their homes as opposed to requiring them to be admitted to long-term care facilities such as assisted living or nursing homes. The waivers were created because of the many benefits that go along with in-home care such as improved mental and physical health and better post-hospitalization outcomes.   

Medicaid waivers pay for personal care including assistance with activities of daily living such as dressing, bathing, and transferring. Waivers also provide coverage for services that help maintain households for seniors and people with disabilities so they can continue living in their own homes or to reside in their family members’ homes safely and happily.

At Good Hands Home Health Care, we’ve also seen the positive effects that in-home caregivers have on elderly people and others who live with disabilities when they’re able to make the choice to continue living in their own homes by virtue of having the appropriate care and services in place. We’ve created a thorough process where we match your loved one up with the most qualified, most compatible caregiver to meet your loved one’s needs. 

Our expert staff and caregivers have the knowledge and experience to help you determine your eligibility for a Medicaid waiver. We’re happy to answer all your questions so that you have the deepest comfort level possible as you make decisions and set up a comprehensive care plan for your loved one. We look forward to getting acquainted with you and learning more about how we can ease your burden as you make these life-changing decisions and replace uneasiness with satisfaction and contentment.