Michigan Home Care and Paid Family Caregiver FAQ

Home Help is for Michigan residents who have active Medicaid and need hands-on help with activities of daily living such as bathing, dressing, toileting, eating or moving around. There is no minimum age; adults, seniors and children with disabilities can qualify. An MDHHS adult services worker confirms the need during an in-home assessment. Full eligibility rules are on our Michigan Home Help program page. Income and asset limits for Medicaid apply, and the person must live in their own home or a family member’s home rather than a facility.

Yes. Home Help is a Michigan Medicaid benefit run by MDHHS, so the person receiving care must have active Medicaid before paid hours can be authorized. If your loved one is not enrolled yet, they can apply through MI Bridges first, and we can help. Medicare alone does not qualify anyone for Home Help. See our Home Help program page for the application order. Families often apply for Medicaid and request the Home Help assessment in the same month to save time.

ADLs are activities of daily living: bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, eating, transferring and mobility. IADLs are instrumental tasks such as meal preparation, laundry, housework, shopping and medication reminders. Home Help focuses on ADL needs; MDHHS scores each task during the assessment and authorizes hours based on how much help is required. Needing help with even one ADL can qualify. Details are on the Home Help page. IADL-only needs, such as help with shopping alone, usually do not qualify on their own.

It depends on the Medicaid category. As of 2026, the aged, blind and disabled category used for Home Help is tied to 100% of the federal poverty level, and the MI Choice Waiver allows income up to 300% of the SSI federal benefit rate. Both adjust yearly. Our Medicaid eligibility checker shows the current 2026 tables and lets you test your loved one’s numbers. Income that is slightly over the Home Help limit can often be handled with a monthly spend-down.

The MI Choice Waiver uses a special income limit equal to 300% of the SSI federal benefit rate, which is higher than the limit for regular Medicaid. Applicants over that limit can often still qualify by using a Qualified Income Trust, sometimes called a Miller trust. Asset limits and a look-back period also apply. Our MI Choice Waiver page explains the financial rules and how to apply. Because the waiver counts the applicant’s income only, a working spouse’s earnings usually do not disqualify them.

Yes. A person with Alzheimer’s or another dementia often qualifies because they need hands-on help with bathing, dressing, eating or toileting. MDHHS ranks each task, and reminders or supervision on their own fall below the level Home Help pays for, so document the hands-on help your loved one needs. Learn more on our Alzheimer’s and dementia home care page. A doctor’s note describing the diagnosis and safety concerns strengthens the assessment.

Yes. Home Help has no minimum age. Adults under 65 and children who have Medicaid and need help with daily activities because of a physical, developmental or mental health disability can qualify. Other Michigan programs such as the MI Choice Waiver or the Habilitation Supports Waiver may also fit. Our disability home care page compares the options. A parent can often be the paid caregiver for an adult child with a disability.

Use our free Medicaid eligibility checker. It asks about age, Michigan residency, monthly income, assets and the daily tasks your loved one needs help with, then tells you whether Home Help or MI Choice is the likely match. Nothing is sent to the state. Afterward, call us and we will confirm the result and start the application with you. The whole check takes about two minutes and works on a phone.

Many families still qualify. Home Help allows a monthly spend-down for income over the limit, MI Choice allows a Qualified Income Trust, and spousal impoverishment rules protect a healthy spouse. Paying down a mortgage or prepaying a funeral can reduce countable assets legally. Read our guide to Michigan Medicaid income and asset limits for each option. Never give away assets before getting advice, because transfers can trigger a penalty period under MI Choice.

MDHHS sets an hourly rate for individual providers each year. Through Supportive Solutions, caregivers earn a minimum of $18 per hour. Your monthly pay equals the rate multiplied by the hours authorized in your loved one’s care plan. Examples and the payment schedule are on our family caregiver pay page. Rates for agency caregivers are set by the agency instead and can differ.

Family caregivers paid through Home Help earn the same hourly individual-provider rate as any other provider, multiplied by the authorized hours. There is no separate family rate. Hours depend on the assessment, so a parent who needs help with several ADLs generates more paid hours than someone who needs help with one. See how family caregiver pay is calculated in Michigan. Pay is deposited by MDHHS after visits are verified through EVV.

Michigan Medicaid pays caregivers through Home Help at the MDHHS individual-provider hourly rate, and through the MI Choice Waiver at rates set by the waiver agency. Payment goes to the caregiver, not the family, once visits are verified through EVV. Agency caregivers are paid by the agency instead. Our pay rate page compares the options. Medicare, by contrast, does not pay for ongoing caregiving at all.

The hourly rate is set by MDHHS for Home Help individual providers and updated periodically. Through Supportive Solutions, caregivers earn a minimum of $18 per hour. We keep the current rate posted on our Michigan caregiver pay page. Overtime and holiday premiums do not apply to Home Help individual providers.

Hours are not a flat number. The MDHHS adult services worker scores each daily task during the assessment and authorizes a monthly total that matches the level of need. More ADLs and greater dependence mean more hours. Hours can be reviewed if your loved one’s condition changes. Our pay page explains how authorized hours are calculated. If needs increase after a hospital stay or new diagnosis, ask the county office for a reassessment.

Under Home Help, living with the person you care for does not change the hourly rate; you are paid for the authorized hours, not for being present all day. Live-in family caregivers may qualify for the IRS difficulty-of-care tax exclusion, which can raise take-home pay. See our family caregiver pay page for live-in examples. Hours spent sleeping or on standby are not billable under Home Help.

It can be exempt. Under IRS Notice 2014-7, payments to a caregiver who lives in the same home as the Medicaid recipient may be treated as difficulty-of-care payments excluded from federal gross income. Caregivers who live elsewhere generally owe tax. Always confirm with a tax professional and see irs.gov. Our pay page has a taxes section. Even when the payments are excluded, some caregivers choose to report them to qualify for certain credits, so get advice before filing.

Caregivers enroll in CHAMPS, log each visit through Electronic Visit Verification and are paid by MDHHS on the state’s payment cycle, usually by direct deposit. Missed EVV clock-ins delay pay, so log every visit. Supportive Solutions monitors submissions and fixes errors quickly. The payment schedule is explained on our family caregiver pay page. New providers should expect a short gap between the first verified visit and the first deposit while CHAMPS finalizes enrollment.

Yes, it can. Individual providers are paid the MDHHS Home Help rate directly. Agency caregivers are employees of the agency, which bills Medicaid and pays a wage that may be higher or lower but comes with training, backup coverage and payroll handling. Our get paid to care page compares both paths so you can choose. Some caregivers start as individual providers for a relative and later join our agency for extra hours.

Respite care provided under Home Help is paid at the same hourly individual-provider rate as other Home Help hours. Under MI Choice, respite is paid at the waiver agency’s rate. Some Area Agency on Aging and Alzheimer’s Association respite grants pay a set amount per year instead. Our respite care page lists the options and how to qualify. Respite hours must be authorized in the care plan before they are paid.

Contact your local MDHHS office and ask for a Home Help assessment, or let Supportive Solutions make the request with you. An adult services worker visits the home, confirms Medicaid status, scores daily-task needs and authorizes hours. Then your chosen caregiver enrolls in CHAMPS. The step-by-step process is on our Home Help program page. Have the Medicaid ID, a list of daily needs and the caregiver’s contact details ready when you call.

Apply online through MI Bridges, the MDHHS benefits portal, or in person at a local MDHHS office. You will need photo ID, proof of income, bank statements and proof of Michigan residency. Respond promptly to any requests for verification. Our MI Bridges walkthrough and eligibility checker cover every step. A family member can complete the application on a loved one’s behalf as an authorized representative.

CHAMPS is Michigan’s Medicaid provider system. Home Help caregivers create a MiLogin account, complete the individual provider enrollment, consent to a background check and get linked to their client by the county office. Errors in CHAMPS are the most common reason pay is delayed. Follow our CHAMPS enrollment guide or let us complete it with you. You will need a Social Security number, a home address and bank details for direct deposit.

Timing depends on whether Medicaid is already active, how quickly the county schedules the assessment and how fast CHAMPS processes the caregiver’s enrollment. Complete applications with all documents attached move fastest; missing paperwork is the biggest delay. Supportive Solutions follows up with the county office at each step. See how the timeline works. Starting the caregiver’s CHAMPS enrollment while Medicaid is pending shortens the overall wait.

An MDHHS adult services worker comes to the home, reviews Medicaid status, asks about medical conditions and watches or asks about each daily task such as bathing, dressing and transferring. They score how much help is needed and set the monthly hours. Having the caregiver present and a written list of needs helps. Our Home Help page explains how to prepare. Be honest about bad days as well as good ones so the hours reflect real needs.

Electronic Visit Verification is the state-required system that records when a caregiver starts and ends each visit, usually through a phone app. Yes, family caregivers paid through Home Help must use it; visits without EVV records are not paid. Setup takes a few minutes and we walk you through it. Read our EVV guide for Michigan caregivers. If a clock-in is missed, it can usually be corrected the same day with a note.

Home Help is handled by adult services staff at your county MDHHS office rather than one statewide hotline. Find your office through michigan.gov/mdhhs, or call Supportive Solutions at (313) 977-6888 and we will contact the right office with you. Our Home Help page includes a resource box for MDHHS contacts. Ask specifically for adult services or the Home Help program so the call is routed correctly.

You have the right to appeal. The denial notice explains the reason and the deadline to request a hearing. Common reasons are missing verification, income over the limit without a spend-down, or an assessment that did not capture all needs. Many denials are reversed with added documentation or a reassessment. Contact us and see the Home Help program page for next steps. Keep a copy of every notice and note the date you received it.

Sometimes. MI Choice enrollment is managed regionally by Area Agencies on Aging and waiver agents, and some regions maintain a waiting list when funded slots are full. Home Help has no waiting list, so many families start with Home Help while waiting for MI Choice. Our MI Choice Waiver page explains how to check your region’s status. Ask to be placed on the list even if care is needed later, because a spot is easier to accept than to request in a crisis.

Contact the Area Agency on Aging or MI Choice waiver agent that serves your county. They screen for nursing-facility level of care, review income and assets and complete the enrollment. Medicaid must be active or applied for at the same time. Supportive Solutions can make the referral and help with paperwork. Steps are on our MI Choice Waiver page. An in-home visit by a nurse and social worker is part of the screening.

Yes. Michigan’s Home Help program lets the Medicaid recipient choose their own caregiver, including relatives. The family member enrolls as an individual provider in CHAMPS, passes a background check and is paid by MDHHS for authorized hours. This is the most common way Michigan families are paid to care for a loved one. Start on our get paid to care page. Live-in and live-out relatives both qualify.

Yes. Adult children are among the most common paid Home Help providers in Michigan. Your son or daughter must be 18 or older, pass the MDHHS background check and enroll in CHAMPS. They can live with you or nearby. The pay rate is the same as for any individual provider. See how adult children get paid to care for a parent. Only one provider is paid for a given visit, though more than one relative can be enrolled.

Yes, under Home Help. Michigan allows a spouse to be the paid individual provider as long as the care recipient has Medicaid and the spouse meets the provider requirements. Rules can differ under the MI Choice Waiver, so ask which program your loved one is in. Our get paid to care page covers spousal caregiving in Michigan. Household income counts toward Medicaid limits, so ask about spousal protections if you are unsure.

Yes. If your parent has Michigan Medicaid and needs help with daily activities, you can be their paid Home Help caregiver. You do not need a license, and you can live with them or separately. Pay is hourly for the authorized hours. Read the full steps on our get paid to care for a family member page and our step-by-step guide. If your parent is not on Medicaid yet, apply through MI Bridges first and request the assessment right after.

Yes. Home Help does not require the caregiver to be related. A friend, neighbor or member of your faith community can be your individual provider if they are 18 or older, pass the background check and complete CHAMPS enrollment. Our get paid to care page explains how to name a non-family caregiver. The care recipient, not the state, picks the provider.

MDHHS can deny a provider for a disqualifying criminal conviction such as abuse, neglect, fraud or a serious violent crime, for being on an excluded-provider list, for being under 18 or for refusing the background check. Some guardianship arrangements need review. Many issues can be resolved with documentation. Details are on our become a paid caregiver page and in our disqualifiers guide. The care recipient cannot be their own paid provider, and providers must be legally allowed to work in the United States.

No. Home Help individual providers do not need a CNA license, nursing degree or state certificate. You need to be 18 or older, pass the background check and enroll in CHAMPS. Supportive Solutions provides training in safe transfers, personal care and EVV. Learn what is actually required on our become a paid caregiver page. A CNA or home health aide certificate can help you earn more as an agency caregiver, but it is optional.

Yes. Home Help pays for the authorized hours only, so you can provide them around another job as long as the care plan is followed and every visit is logged in EVV. Many caregivers work mornings or evenings and keep another position. Agency caregivers can choose part-time shifts too. See our become a paid caregiver page. Just make sure your EVV times never overlap with hours you were working elsewhere.

No. Social Security and Medicare do not pay family members to provide daily care. Medicare covers short-term skilled home health after a hospital stay, not ongoing personal care. Michigan Medicaid’s Home Help program is the benefit that pays family caregivers. Learn how it works on our get paid to care page. Veterans may also have options through VA programs such as Aid and Attendance.

No. CDPAP is a New York Medicaid program and does not exist in Michigan. Michigan’s equivalents are the Home Help program, which lets you choose a family member as your paid caregiver, and the MI Choice Waiver’s self-determination option. If you searched for CDPAP in Michigan, Home Help is almost always what you need. Our CDPAP in Michigan page compares all three. Michigan Home Help does not use fiscal intermediaries the way CDPAP does; caregivers are paid by MDHHS directly.

Home Help is a regular Medicaid benefit that pays for personal care hours and has no waiting list. MI Choice is a waiver for people who meet nursing-facility level of care; it offers more services, uses a higher income limit and is run through Area Agencies on Aging. Some people use both. See our program comparison and MI Choice page. Families often start with Home Help because it is faster, then add MI Choice when needs grow.

The MI Choice Waiver is Michigan’s Medicaid program that pays for nursing-home-level care at home. To qualify, a person must be 65 or older or an adult with a disability, meet nursing-facility level of care and meet the waiver’s income and asset limits. Services include personal care, respite, home modifications and more. Full details are on our MI Choice Waiver page. Enrollment is handled by your regional Area Agency on Aging or a contracted waiver agent.

Often, yes. MI Choice includes a self-determination option that lets participants hire their own caregivers, including some family members, through a fiscal intermediary. Rules on which relatives can be paid are stricter than Home Help, so check with the waiver agent. Our MI Choice Waiver page explains the paid family caregiver option. A spouse or legal guardian is generally not eligible to be paid under MI Choice.

Yes. Michigan Medicaid pays for in-home caregivers through Home Help for personal care hours and through the MI Choice Waiver for a broader package of home services. In both cases the person receiving care must have Medicaid and a documented need for help with daily activities. Learn what is covered on our Medicaid home care page. Care in adult foster care or assisted living is paid under different rules.

A home care agency provides non-medical help such as bathing, dressing, meals and companionship, usually paid by Medicaid Home Help or privately. A home health agency provides skilled nursing and therapy ordered by a doctor, usually paid by Medicare for a short period. Supportive Solutions is a home care agency. Our home health aide page explains both. Many families use both at once after a hospital discharge.

Home Help covers hands-on personal care such as bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, eating, transferring and mobility, plus related tasks like meal preparation, laundry, light housework, shopping and medication reminders when the person also needs personal care. It does not cover skilled nursing or 24-hour supervision. See the full task list on our personal care assistance page. Hours for each task are set during the assessment and listed in the care plan.

Yes. Michigan Medicaid pays for in-home dementia care through Home Help when the person needs hands-on help with daily activities, and through the MI Choice Waiver for higher needs. A family member can be the paid caregiver. Medicare does not pay for ongoing dementia care at home. Learn more on our Alzheimer’s and dementia care page. Standby supervision on its own is not a paid Home Help task; MI Choice can add services such as adult day care and respite.

Yes, when it supports the person’s care. Under Home Help, a personal care assistant can do laundry, light housework, meal preparation and shopping for the care recipient as part of the authorized plan. Heavy cleaning or chores for other household members are not covered. Our personal care assistance page lists what is included. Tasks must be for the person receiving care, not the whole household.

Respite care can be paid through Home Help hours, the MI Choice Waiver, Area Agency on Aging respite programs and Alzheimer’s Association grants, or privately. To qualify through Medicaid, the person receiving care must be enrolled and have a documented need. Supportive Solutions helps you find the right funding source. See our respite care page. Family caregivers who are paid through Home Help can also use respite hours to take a break.

Medicare typically covers short-term skilled home health after surgery. Michigan Medicaid can cover non-medical help with bathing, dressing, meals and mobility during recovery through Home Help, and a family member can be paid to provide it. Recovery needs are often short, so ask about temporary authorizations. Our post-surgery home care page explains coverage. Tell the assessor the expected recovery period so hours can be reviewed later.

Supportive Solutions Homecare serves families across Michigan, including Detroit, Dearborn, Warren, Sterling Heights, Ann Arbor, Flint, Lansing and Grand Rapids, covering Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Washtenaw, Genesee, Ingham and Kent counties. Care is available in English, Arabic and Spanish. Find your city on our Michigan home care locations page. If your city is not listed, call us; we serve surrounding communities too.

Private-pay home care in Detroit is billed hourly, and rates vary by agency and the type of care. For families who qualify, Michigan Medicaid pays for care through Home Help or MI Choice. Ask us for a current private-pay quote. See our Detroit home care page. We explain every cost before care starts, with no hidden fees.

No. Home Help is a Michigan Medicaid program. Ohio pays family caregivers through different programs, including Structured Family Caregiving and the PASSPORT waiver. Supportive Solutions currently serves Michigan only, with Ohio service coming soon. If you live in Ohio, join our notify list through the contact page and see our service area page for updates. Families who move between the two states must reapply under the new state’s program.