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Who Qualifies for Home Health Care Financial Assistance in Indiana?
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
In Indiana, individuals 60 years or older, or who have a disability, may qualify for home health care financial assistance in Indiana if they are at risk of losing their independence. A sign a senior may not be able to live truly independently anymore is struggling with activities of daily living. Home health care can provide necessary support while keeping seniors in their homes.
Medicaid provides waivers to eligible low-income individuals for home health care, allowing recipients to receive these services at little to no cost. Another program, the Community and Home Options to Institutional Care for the Elderly and Disabled (CHOICE) program expands eligibility requirements to cover most people in need of in-home support by bypassing a financial means-based requirement altogether and instead offering services on a sliding scale based on income.
What Financial Assistance Can Medicaid Recipients Receive?
The Aged & Disabled waiver allows home- and community-based services to be provided to eligible individuals to keep them in their homes. To qualify, an individual must be blind, aged or disabled, live at home or being transitioned to home, have less than 300% of the maximum Supplemental Security Income and require a nursing facility level of care. Eligible individuals receive services such as adult day services, health care coordination, homemaker services, home delivered meals, transportation and vehicle modifications
What Financial Assistance Can Those Ineligible for Medicaid Receive for Home Health Care?
Those ineligible for Medicaid or Medicare may qualify for financial assistance for home health care through Indiana’s CHOICE program. This program has no income limits, though higher-income applicants may be required to cover some of their expenses out of pocket. An asset limit is part of the eligibility process, and individuals may not have over $250,000 in assets. The CHOICE program cannot be used if individuals are eligible for Medicare or Medicaid to meet their needs.
The CHOICE program offers both home- and community-based services in hopes of maintaining independence for eligible individuals as long as possible. To qualify, applicants must be at least 60 years old or have an eligible disability. Likewise, they must also be considered at risk of losing their independence due to requiring assistance with activities of daily living.
What Services Does CHOICE Provide?
CHOICE will cover a range of services meant to provide necessary assistance to eligible individuals without requiring them to relocate to a facility. Often, they cover assistance with activities of daily living, instrumental activities of daily living and medical management. Some of the services CHOICE may cover include adult day services, case management, homemaker services, home health aides, skilled nursing and transportation.