Who Qualifies for the Home Help Program in Michigan? A Checklist

Who qualifies for Home Help in Michigan? A person qualifies when they have active Michigan Medicaid, need hands-on help with at least one activity of daily living, and live in their own home or a family member’s home rather than a licensed facility. MDHHS confirms all three through an in-home assessment before it approves paid hours.

On this page

1. Who qualifies for Home Help in Michigan? Start with Medicaid
2. Next, a documented need for help with daily activities
3. Age and disability rules
4. Living arrangement rules
5. What disqualifies you from the Home Help program?
6. What if my parent is over the Medicaid income or asset limit?
7. Frequently asked questions

Who qualifies for Home Help in Michigan? Start with Medicaid

Home Help is paid for by Medicaid, so the person receiving care must be enrolled in Michigan Medicaid before MDHHS will authorize services. Medicare, Medicare Advantage, and private insurance do not count.

Most full-coverage Medicaid categories qualify. Adults over 65 and adults with a disability are usually reviewed under the aged, blind, and disabled category, which looks at both monthly income and countable assets. As of 2026, the asset limit for a single applicant in that category is about $2,000, not counting the home, one vehicle, and personal belongings.

If your loved one has Medicaid with a monthly deductible (sometimes called a spend-down), Home Help can still be approved, but the deductible has to be met each month before Medicaid pays. Our guide to Michigan Medicaid income and asset limits for home care explains how those numbers work.

Not enrolled yet? Start with the MI Bridges application walkthrough, or run our free eligibility check to see which category fits.

Next, a documented need for help with daily activities

MDHHS does not approve Home Help based on a diagnosis. It approves it based on function: can the person complete everyday tasks safely on their own, or do they need another person’s help?

Activities of daily living (ADLs)

These are the personal-care tasks that carry the most weight in the assessment. To qualify, your loved one must need hands-on help with at least one of them:

• Bathing or showering
• Dressing and undressing
• Eating (help with the act of eating, not just cooking)
• Toileting and incontinence care
• Grooming, such as shaving, oral care, and hair care
• Transferring, for example moving from bed to chair
• Mobility inside the home

Instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs)

These are the household tasks that keep someone living independently. They can add hours to an authorization, but IADL needs alone will not qualify a person for Home Help:

• Meal preparation
• Laundry
• Light housework
• Shopping for groceries and essentials
• Medication setup and reminders

The medical needs form

A physician, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, or other qualified medical professional must certify that the need for help is real and expected to last. MDHHS provides the form, and a recent doctor’s visit makes this step faster.

The assessment itself is a home visit by an MDHHS adult services worker who scores each activity. Read what happens at a Home Help assessment visit so you know what to have ready.

Age and disability rules

Home Help is often described as a senior program, but eligibility is tied to Medicaid and functional need, not to a birthday.

• Adults 65 and older qualify when they meet the Medicaid and ADL tests above.
• Adults under 65 with a disability qualify on the same terms. Common examples include multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, stroke recovery, cerebral palsy, developmental disabilities, and serious mental illness that limits self-care.
• People with dementia or Alzheimer’s qualify when the condition means they need hands-on help with at least one ADL, such as bathing or dressing. Reminders or supervision on their own are ranked below the level Home Help pays for.

Families caring for an adult with a disability often assume they need a waiver first. In most cases Home Help is the faster route, and it can run alongside other supports.

Living arrangement rules

Home Help pays for care delivered in a private residence. Your loved one qualifies if they live in:

• Their own house, apartment, or condo
• A family member’s home, including yours
• An unlicensed independent-living or senior apartment

They do not qualify while living in a hospital, a nursing facility, a licensed adult foster care home, or a home for the aged, because those settings are already paid to provide personal care. If your loved one is coming home from a nursing facility, apply early so services start once they are home.

Living with your caregiver is fine. Many Home Help clients live with the adult child or relative who provides their care, and live-in caregivers may be able to exclude their pay from federal income tax under IRS Notice 2014-7 (see the IRS website).

What disqualifies you from the Home Help program?

Most denials come down to one of five reasons.

1. No active Medicaid. The application stalls until coverage is approved.
2. No ADL need documented. If the only needs are cooking, cleaning, and shopping, the case will be denied.
3. Missing medical needs form. An unsigned or late form is the most common reason approval drags on.
4. Living in a licensed facility. Home Help cannot start until the person is living in a private home.
5. Duplicate services. If the same personal-care hours are already covered by another Medicaid program, such as the MI Choice Waiver or a hospice benefit, Home Help will not pay for them twice.

Note that these are care-recipient rules. Separate rules decide who can be the paid caregiver. If you want to be the provider, read what disqualifies you from being a paid caregiver in Michigan and our overview of how to become a paid caregiver.

What if my parent is over the Medicaid income or asset limit?

Being over the limit today does not always mean your loved one is out of options.

Medicaid deductible (spend-down)

If income is too high, Michigan can assign a monthly deductible. Once medical expenses in a month reach that amount, Medicaid coverage starts for the rest of the month and Home Help can be authorized.

Spending down assets on allowed items

Assets above the limit can often be reduced by paying off debt, prepaying funeral expenses, making home repairs, or buying medical equipment for the applicant’s own use. Gifts and transfers inside the look-back period can cause penalties, so talk with an elder law attorney before moving money.

The MI Choice Waiver

MI Choice uses a higher income limit than regular Medicaid because it is designed for people who would otherwise need a nursing home. If your parent needs a nursing-facility level of care, this waiver can be the better fit. Our MI Choice Waiver guide explains eligibility, wait lists, and how to apply through your Area Agency on Aging.

Spousal protections

When one spouse needs care and the other does not, Medicaid’s spousal impoverishment rules let the healthy spouse keep a share of income and assets. These rules apply to MI Choice and can change the answer for married couples.

If all four requirements check out, you are ready to apply. Our Michigan Home Help program page explains how Supportive Solutions Homecare handles the application, the assessment, and the caregiver paperwork with you.

Frequently asked questions

Do you have to be on Medicaid to get the Home Help program?

Yes. Home Help is a Michigan Medicaid benefit, so the person receiving care must have active Medicaid coverage before MDHHS can authorize services. If your loved one does not have Medicaid yet, you can apply through MI Bridges first and ask for Home Help once coverage is approved. Medicare alone does not qualify anyone for Home Help.

What are ADLs and IADLs, and how many do you need help with to qualify?

ADLs are activities of daily living: bathing, dressing, eating, toileting, grooming, transferring, and mobility. IADLs are instrumental tasks like meal preparation, laundry, housework, shopping, and medication setup. Home Help requires a need for hands-on help with at least one ADL. Help with IADLs alone is not enough, but IADL hours can be added once an ADL need is documented.

Can a person with a disability under 65 get Home Help?

Yes. Home Help is not an age-based program. An adult under 65 with a physical disability, developmental disability, brain injury, or serious mental illness qualifies the same way an older adult does: active Michigan Medicaid, a documented need for help with daily activities, and a home that is not a licensed care facility.

How do I check if my loved one is eligible before applying?

Use our free Medicaid eligibility check to run through the four Home Help requirements in a few minutes: Medicaid status, daily-activity needs, living arrangement, and household income. It will tell you whether to apply now, apply for Medicaid first, or look at the MI Choice Waiver instead. You can also call us and we will walk through it with you.