Who Qualifies for Home Health Care Financial Assistance in Michigan?

Low-income individuals who are eligible for Medicaid may qualify for home health care financial assistance in Michigan through Medicaid’s Home Help program. Those meeting the eligibility requirements and with a medical need for services may receive coverage for many activities of daily living. This program is consumer-directed, granting the individual additional control over their care and services provided as they work with a case manager to determine a budget and the amount of care necessary.

This program offers support for elderly or disabled adults that want to live at home independently instead of in an adult foster home or nursing facility. This program covers a range of services designed to assist eligible individuals with the care needed to remain at home, including providing complex care for those who qualify.

Assistance through the Home Help program is available for adults who are eligible for Medicaid services in Michigan. Additionally, to qualify, applicants need to require physical assistance with one or more activities of daily living. To determine this eligibility, an adult services worker completes a home assessment to determine whether Home Help is the appropriate program to provide assistance. Individuals who do not meet the financial eligibility for Medicaid but still have personal care needs may still qualify for Home Help with a deductible.

This service is only available for individuals living at home to assist in delaying institutionalization. It is not provided to those living in nursing homes, assisted living residences or adult foster care homes.

The Home Help program pays for services on a case-by-case basis, providing care for those with a medical need for assistance. Many of the services provided are with activities of daily living. These include assistance with eating, bathing, dressing, grooming, moving, transferring positions and toileting. Limited home health services are provided, including complex care. This encompasses, but is not limited to, catheters, bowel programs, colostomy care, leg bags, skin care, range of motion exercises, wound care, respiratory treatment and injections.

Those who qualify for assistance with activities of daily living may also receive assistance with certain instrumental activities of daily living. These include medication administration, laundry and light housework, meal prep, shopping for essential items and travel for shopping and laundry. However, it does not cover services such as heavy housework, supervision, yard work and home repairs.