Who Qualifies for Home Health Care Financial Assistance in New Jersey?

Seniors ages 65 and over or people with disabilities may qualify for home health care financial assistance in New Jersey if they meet the requirements for the Personal Preference Program, including Medicaid income limitations. Recipients have the option of hiring family members as caregivers.

New Jersey seniors or people with disabilities who wish to enroll in the Personal Preference Program to receive home health care financial assistance must first qualify for Medicaid. The income limit for a single person in this state is $30,276, or approximately $2,500 per month. A single person must not own over $2,000 in assets. For a two-person household, the income limit rises to $60,552 with a $4,000 limit on assets.

After enrollment in Medicaid, seniors who wish to access the Personal Preference Program must then document their need for personal care and obtain a doctor’s order for the services required. Seniors must also live in a private home or in a community that does not offer the necessary care. The program will provide consultants to help senior recipients select caregivers, allocate finances and manage services.

Under the Personal Preference Program, seniors have access to a variety of home health care services. The self-directed part of the program gives them the option to choose their own caregivers among friends and family members, or they can choose to work through an agency.

The Personal Preference Program usually covers personal care services like help with daily living activities, mobility, medication and housework. The program may cover more complex medical services like those offered by private-duty nursing, but this is not guaranteed. If such services are required on a regular basis, seniors may be redirected to the I Choose Home NJ program, which is also Medicaid-funded and available to seniors who have been living in a nursing facility but wish to transfer back into their own homes while still receiving care.