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Does Washington 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
Washington pays for in-home care for seniors who meet certain eligibility criteria. The state may pay for personal care and other services they need to stay in their home. Washington offers two programs that provide financial assistance for home care: the Community Options Program Entry System Medicaid waiver and the Community First Choice program. Qualifying for one program doesn’t exclude a person from the other; in fact, many seniors receive services through COPES and CFC. Below, learn about the services these programs provide and the eligibility requirements for each.
COPES Waiver
The COPES waiver is a Medicaid program that enables an eligible individual to live in their home or in an assisted living facility as an alternative to nursing home placement. To qualify, the person must be 65+ (or 18+ and disabled), need help with at least two activities of daily living, have a monthly income at or below $2,523 and have countable assets valued at $2,000 or less. Seniors must also show a need for a nursing home level of care.
Services available to the individual through COPES include:
- Home health care and skilled nursing
- Adult day care
- Medical supplies and equipment
- Home-delivered meals
- Home and vehicle accessibility modifications
- Personal emergency response system
- Non-medical transportation
Community First Choice
CFC provides a monthly stipend that allows seniors to self-direct their own care and hire caregivers of their choosing. Any family member, except a spouse, can be hired to provide care. The program includes most of the same services as COPES, as well as personal care, housekeeping, in-home caregiver respite and counseling, to help seniors choose the services and caregivers that are right for them.
Eligibility requirements for CFC are mostly the same as COPES except for the monthly income limit, which is $841. The program doesn’t have a waiting list, which means a person is guaranteed to receive services if they qualify.