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Does Hawaii Pay For In-Home Care?
Date Updated: July 26, 2024
Written by:
Rachel Lustbader is a writer and editor with a background in healthcare and technology. Her work has been published on websites including HealthCare.com, BiteSizeBio.com, BetterHelp.com, Caring.com, and PayingforSeniorCare.com. She studied health science and public health at Boston University.
Both of Rachel’s grandmothers had very positive experiences in senior living communities, and Rachel saw firsthand the impact that kind, committed caregivers and community managers can have on seniors’ and their family members’ lives. With her work at Caring, Rachel hopes to help other families find communities, caregivers, and at-home products that benefit elderly loved ones and make life less stressful for family caregivers
Yes, the state of Hawaii does pay for in-home care services through its Medicaid-managed care plan. The Med-QUEST care plan has no enrollment caps, and the program is available to all seniors who meet the qualifying criteria.
Med-QUEST Managed Option
Med-QUEST is the name of the Medicaid system in Hawaii. The system provides a managed care plan for disabled or chronically ill seniors who wish to remain in their own homes but require nursing home-level care. Each senior is assessed to determine the level of care or support services that will be paid for by the plan. Services that may be provided include environmental modification, emergency response systems, medication management, nursing care and assistance with the tasks of daily living.
Seniors need to meet certain criteria to qualify for the managed care plan. They must:
- Be aged 65 years or older
- Be unable to care for themselves independently any longer
- Be full-time residents of Hawaii
- Meet specific low-income guidelines
Alternative Financial Assistance Options
The Hawaii Executive Office on Aging provides financial assistance programs to help seniors who don’t qualify for Medicaid to be able to pay for some in-home care services. The Kupuna Care program aims to help seniors remain in their own homes by covering the costs of adult day care, transportation services, meal delivery services and personal care assistance. Seniors need to be over the age of 60 and require assistance to be able to continue living in their homes.
The Chore Services Program helps seniors keep their homes in safe and liveable condition. Each senior can choose their own service provider to carry out these household chores, and the provider may be a family member. Services may include grocery shopping, meal preparation, light cleaning and yard work. The Community Living Program is a limited enrollment program with a waiting list. The program provides seniors with a monthly budget to cover the support services they may need to remain at home. Services that can be paid for include durable medical equipment, personal care assistance and home modifications. The program isn’t available in all locations. Seniors can contact the Hawaii Executive Office on Aging to check if their area is currently covered by the program.