Cost of In-Home Care Services
Home care services are generally available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and can be paid for directly by the client or through a variety of public and private funding sources such as Medicare and/or Medicaid.
Since about 90% of all home health agency care is paid for by Medicare or Medicaid, the cost of care is not such a big burden. But some families do pay for this service out of their own pockets. Costs will vary from area to area. A nurse, therapist or social worker may cost $70.00 to $100.00 an hour. An aide to take care of daily living needs, so called activities of daily living, may cost $10.00 to $25.00 an hour.
Are there any programs that offer financial help?
As a general rule government programs will pay only in case there is a medical care need. Still, government programs can pay for home care that is non-medical under certain conditions. The care-recipient must be low income and have virtually no assets.
This care is typically provided free of charge by informal caregivers who are family or friends. But increasingly, Medicaid is also paying for these home services for those who are Medicaid qualified. In order to receive Medicaid home care a person must qualify for Medicaid and spend at least 90 days in a nursing home. Medicaid qualification requires an income insufficient to pay for care and assets less than $2,000.00.