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Michigan caregiver pay guide
Last updated: 17 September 2026
Michigan has several ways a family caregiver may be paid, but the rules depend on the program and the caregiver’s relationship to the person receiving care. For many families, the first program to check is Michigan Medicaid Home Help. MI Choice and two U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs programs can also matter in the right situation.
This guide focuses on payment for care provided at home. For broader help with bills, health coverage, housing, and other needs, see our Michigan senior benefits guide.
Bottom Line
An adult child, sibling, grandchild, friend, or other qualified adult may be able to get paid for hands-on care in Michigan. Home Help is usually the clearest place to start when the older adult has Medicaid and needs help with daily activities. The 2026 Home Help individual caregiver rate is $17.13 per hour.
A spouse cannot be paid as a Home Help caregiver. However, MI Choice has a narrower exception: a spouse or other legally responsible adult may be paid for Community Living Supports in limited extraordinary-care cases when hired through a home care agency that provides supervision. That is different from MI Choice self-direction.
Start Here
- If Medicaid is active: ask the local Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) office for a Home Help assessment.
- If care needs are very high: also ask about MI Choice, especially if the person may need nursing-facility-level care but wants to remain at home.
- If the person is a Veteran: ask the VA about Veteran-Directed Care and the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers.
If you are unsure which long-term care program fits, call MI Options at 1-800-803-7174. The state says the service is free and available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Quick Reference
| Program | Best fit | Can family be paid? | First step |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home Help | Medicaid beneficiary who needs hands-on help with daily activities | Often yes; spouse is excluded | Local MDHHS Adult Services |
| MI Choice | Person who meets nursing-facility level-of-care rules and wants services at home | Sometimes; special spouse rules apply | MI Choice waiver agency or MI Options |
| Veteran-Directed Care | Eligible Veteran needing home and community services | A worker may be a family member | VA social worker |
| VA caregiver program | Veteran meeting the VA’s caregiver-program rules | Primary caregiver may receive a stipend | VA caregiver support team |
A program name is not an approval. Each agency makes its own eligibility and care-plan decision.
What Has Changed
- Spouse guidance is corrected. Home Help still does not pay a client’s spouse. MI Choice, however, allows a spouse or legally responsible adult to provide paid Community Living Supports in limited extraordinary-care cases through a supervised home care agency.
- Home Help now gives a clear timeline. Michigan says the application process can take up to 45 days.
- The 2026 Home Help rate is confirmed. The individual caregiver rate is $17.13 per hour for services beginning January 1, 2026.
- Do not count on Coordinated Caregiving yet. Michigan proposed a new MI Choice structured family-caregiving service in 2026, but as of September 12, 2026, the state’s waiver-status page still listed both MI Choice amendment applications as submitted, not approved.
- Electronic Visit Verification changed. Home Help caregivers using the HHAeXchange+ mobile app began using added account verification requirements on August 31, 2026.
Michigan Home Help: The Main Starting Point
Michigan Home Help is a Medicaid personal-care program. It is for people who need hands-on help with at least one activity of daily living, such as bathing, dressing, eating, toileting, transferring, grooming, or moving around the home.
Who may qualify
The person receiving care generally needs Michigan Medicaid and an assessed need for personal care. If Medicaid is not active, Michigan directs applicants to MI Bridges or a local MDHHS office. People who have a Medicaid deductible or spend-down should still ask Adult Services whether the Home Help Personal Care Option could apply to their case.
The state’s Adult Services forms page currently lists two key forms: the DHS-390 Adult Services Application and MDHHS-6200 Adult Services Medical Needs Certification. Return them to the MDHHS office in the county where the person lives.
Who can be the caregiver
The caregiver can be a family member, friend, or other adult age 18 or older who meets the program rules. An adult child is a common example. Michigan says the caregiver cannot be the client’s spouse, cannot be a parent caring for a minor child, and cannot also receive Home Help services.
If you want a simple national explanation of how relationship rules can differ by program, see our guide on getting paid for parent care.
How much Home Help pays
Michigan’s 2026 pay-rate notice sets the individual caregiver rate at $17.13 per hour for services beginning January 1, 2026. This is the state Home Help individual-caregiver rate, not a promise of a certain number of paid hours.
The care plan controls which tasks and time are authorized. A caregiver should not assume that all hours spent helping a relative will be payable.
Enrollment and payment
Before being paid, an individual caregiver must enroll in the Community Health Automated Medicaid Processing System (CHAMPS), pass the required background check, and receive approval. Michigan provides current CHAMPS instructions for caregivers.
Home Help also uses Electronic Visit Verification (EVV). Individual caregivers must report EVV unless an exemption applies. Michigan says caregivers must keep using the current service-verification method for payment until further notice, even while EVV is in use. See the state EVV information page for current rules. Check the state’s Home Help provider page for current payment and EVV instructions.
Helpful tip: start caregiver enrollment while the care recipient’s assessment is moving forward. Waiting until the care plan is finished can delay payment.
Which Relatives Can Be Paid?
| Caregiver | Home Help | MI Choice |
|---|---|---|
| Adult child | May be paid if qualified | May be possible under an approved service arrangement |
| Sibling or grandchild | May be paid if qualified | May be possible under an approved service arrangement |
| Spouse | No | Possible only in limited extraordinary-care cases through a home care agency |
| Friend or neighbor | May be paid if qualified | May be possible if the service model allows it |
These are program rules, not employment guarantees. The caregiver must still meet provider requirements, and the care must be authorized.
MI Choice: More Services and Different Family Rules
MI Choice is a Medicaid home- and community-based waiver for adults who meet nursing-facility level-of-care criteria and other program requirements. It can cover a wider mix of supports than Home Help, such as Community Living Supports, respite, transportation, meals, home modifications, personal emergency response services, and other approved services.
For local entry points, our Michigan aging agencies guide can help you identify the aging network serving your county.
Family caregivers and self-direction
MI Choice can allow participant direction of some services, but the exact worker rules depend on the service and arrangement. Do not assume that a relative who can be hired in one setup can be hired in every setup.
The spouse exception is narrow
The approved MI Choice waiver says a spouse or legally responsible adult may be paid to provide Community Living Supports when the participant needs extraordinary care and the arrangement is in the participant’s best interest. The person must be hired by a home care agency that provides supervision and oversight. The spouse or legally responsible adult cannot be hired through the self-determination arrangement for this exception.
This is not an automatic spouse-pay benefit. Ask the MI Choice waiver agency whether the care needs and provider arrangement meet the current waiver rules.
Coordinated Caregiving is still pending
Michigan proposed a new structured family-caregiving service called Coordinated Caregiving in 2026. It was designed around a trusted live-in caregiver. However, the state’s 2026 waiver status still listed the MI Choice 1915(b) and 1915(c) amendments as submitted on September 12, 2026. That means families should not treat proposed stipend amounts or proposed caregiver rules as an active benefit yet.
Do not plan a household budget around the proposed Coordinated Caregiving payment. Ask the waiver agency whether CMS approval has occurred and whether enrollment has actually started before relying on it.
Veteran Caregiver Options
Veterans may have routes that are separate from Michigan Medicaid. Our Michigan veteran benefits guide covers broader state and federal help.
Veteran-Directed Care
The VA’s Veteran-Directed Care program gives eligible Veterans a budget for approved home and community services. The Veteran or representative can hire workers, and the VA says a worker may include a family member or neighbor. Availability varies by location, so the best first step is to ask the Veteran’s VA social worker whether the program is offered locally.
VA family caregiver program
The VA caregiver program may provide a monthly stipend to an approved Primary Family Caregiver. The VA currently requires, among other rules, that the Veteran have a VA disability rating of 70% or higher, be enrolled in VA health care, and need at least six months of continuous in-person personal care. The caregiver must be at least 18 and be a qualifying family member or live full time with the Veteran, or be willing to do so.
These VA programs have separate eligibility rules. A Veteran does not qualify only because a family member provides unpaid care now.
How to Start Without Wasting Time
- Write down the care tasks. List what the older adult cannot safely do alone: bathing, dressing, toileting, transfers, eating, medication help, meal preparation, laundry, shopping, or other daily tasks.
- Check Medicaid status. If Medicaid is not active, use MI Bridges. If it is active, call the county MDHHS office and ask for Adult Services and Home Help.
- Use the current forms. Ask for DHS-390 and MDHHS-6200. Avoid using an older saved medical form.
- Name the proposed caregiver early. Tell the worker what relationship the caregiver has to the person receiving care.
- Ask about MI Choice when needs are high. If the person may meet nursing-facility level-of-care rules, ask for a MI Choice screening at the same time.
- Start provider enrollment. For Home Help, the caregiver needs CHAMPS approval before payment can begin.
If online applications are difficult, our Michigan benefits portals guide explains common state entry points and what they are used for.
Documents and information to gather
- Photo identification for the person receiving care.
- Medicaid information, if already enrolled.
- Doctor, clinic, hospital, or rehabilitation contact details.
- A current medication list.
- A written list of daily tasks that require hands-on help.
- Recent discharge papers, if there was a hospital or rehabilitation stay.
- Name, address, phone number, and email for the proposed caregiver.
- Guardianship, power of attorney, or representative papers if they are used.
Reality Checks
- Paid hours come from the care plan. Family caregiving time is not automatically payable just because the person needs a lot of help.
- Payment can start later than care. Assessment, Medicaid status, provider enrollment, background checks, and service verification can delay payment.
- Home Help can take up to 45 days. Missing forms or medical information can slow the process.
- MI Choice availability can vary. Waiver agencies may have enrollment limits or waiting lists.
- A family worker is still a worker. Recordkeeping, tax, payroll, and employment rules can apply depending on the program and arrangement.
If the family is deciding between an agency and hiring an individual caregiver, our comparison of agencies and independent caregivers explains the practical tradeoffs.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Assuming a spouse can be paid under every family-caregiver program.
- Using an old form instead of the current Adult Services forms.
- Describing only a diagnosis instead of the exact tasks that require hands-on help.
- Waiting to start CHAMPS until after the Home Help assessment is finished.
- Treating a proposed 2026 MI Choice service as already approved.
- Assuming Medicare alone pays a relative for ongoing personal care.
Denied, Delayed, or Overwhelmed
Ask for a written notice whenever Home Help or another Medicaid program denies, reduces, or ends services. The current Home Help handbook says a client generally has 90 calendar days from the action to request an administrative hearing. The current Adult Services forms page lists the DCH-0092-MOAHR hearing form.
| Problem | Ask for | Next move |
|---|---|---|
| Home Help denied or reduced | Written notice and reason | Review hearing rights quickly |
| Caregiver not paid | CHAMPS and service-verification status | Fix enrollment or billing issue |
| MI Choice unavailable | Waitlist status and backup services | Check Home Help and aging services |
| Unsure where to start | MI Options counseling | Get routed to the right local office |
Michigan’s MI Options service can help families sort through long-term care routes. Call 1-800-803-7174. If the household also faces an immediate food, housing, or utility crisis, see our Michigan emergency assistance guide.
Backup Options When Pay Is Not Available
Not every caregiver will fit a public payment program. If the care recipient is not eligible, the family may still be able to reduce caregiver strain.
- Respite: short breaks can protect the main caregiver from burnout. See our respite care guide.
- Local aging services: Area Agencies on Aging may connect families to meals, transportation, caregiver support, adult day services, and other local help.
- Private family-care agreement: a person may choose to pay a relative from personal funds. A written agreement can help show what work is being paid for. Get legal or tax advice when the arrangement could affect Medicaid eligibility, taxes, estate planning, or family finances.
- Formal home care: an agency may be a better fit when the family needs backup staffing, supervision, or help with payroll and worker management.
Phone Scripts You Can Use
Calling MDHHS about Home Help
“I am helping an older adult who needs hands-on help at home. Can I speak with Adult Services about Home Help? We want to know how to request an assessment, which forms are current, and what the family caregiver must do to enroll.”
Calling MI Choice
“I am calling about MI Choice for a person who may need nursing-facility-level care but wants to stay at home. Can a family member be paid in this case? If the proposed caregiver is a spouse, does the extraordinary-care agency exception apply?”
Checking Coordinated Caregiving
“I saw that Michigan proposed a Coordinated Caregiving service. Has CMS approved it, has enrollment started, and what current written rule should we use before making financial plans?”
Calling the VA
“The Veteran needs help with daily activities at home. Is Veteran-Directed Care available here, or should we apply for the family caregiver program? Can you tell us which program fits and what assessment comes next?”
Resumen en Español
En Michigan, un hijo adulto u otro familiar calificado puede recibir pago por cuidar a una persona mayor en algunos programas. El programa principal es Home Help de Medicaid. Para 2026, la tarifa estatal para un cuidador individual de Home Help es de $17.13 por hora. El cónyuge de la persona que recibe Home Help no puede ser el cuidador pagado.
MI Choice tiene reglas diferentes. En casos limitados de cuidado extraordinario, un cónyuge u otro adulto legalmente responsable puede recibir pago por Community Living Supports si trabaja por medio de una agencia de cuidado en el hogar con supervisión. El nuevo servicio Coordinated Caregiving fue propuesto, pero al 12 de septiembre de 2026 Michigan todavía mostraba las enmiendas como presentadas, no aprobadas. Para orientación gratuita sobre cuidado a largo plazo, llame a MI Options al 1-800-803-7174.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my adult child get paid to care for me in Michigan?
Possibly. Michigan Home Help can pay a qualified adult family member, including an adult child, when the person receiving care is eligible and the services are authorized. The caregiver must complete program enrollment requirements before payment.
Can my spouse get paid to care for me?
A spouse cannot be paid as a Home Help caregiver. Under MI Choice, a spouse or legally responsible adult may be paid for Community Living Supports in limited extraordinary-care cases when hired through a home care agency that provides supervision. This is not the same as self-direction.
How much does Michigan Home Help pay in 2026?
Michigan set the Home Help individual caregiver rate at $17.13 per hour for services beginning January 1, 2026. The care plan determines the authorized tasks and time, so the rate does not guarantee a certain number of paid hours.
How long can a Home Help application take?
Michigan says the Home Help application process can take up to 45 days. Missing forms, Medicaid issues, medical information, or caregiver enrollment can cause additional problems, so submit requested information quickly.
Is Michigan Coordinated Caregiving active now?
Do not assume it is active. Michigan proposed Coordinated Caregiving as a new MI Choice structured family-caregiving service, but as of September 12, 2026, the state’s waiver-status page still listed the related MI Choice amendments as submitted rather than approved. Ask the waiver agency for the current written status.
Do I need Medicaid for Home Help or MI Choice?
Both are Medicaid-funded programs. Home Help applicants who do not have Medicaid are directed to apply through MI Bridges or a local MDHHS office. MI Choice also has Medicaid and program eligibility rules. A person with a Medicaid deductible or spend-down should still ask Adult Services what options may apply.
About This Guide
Sources
This guide uses official federal, state, local, and other high-trust nonprofit and community sources linked in the article.
Editorial note
This guide is produced under the GFS Editorial Standards using official and other high-trust sources. GFS is not affiliated with a government agency and is not a substitute for official agency guidance. Individual eligibility outcomes cannot be guaranteed.
Corrections
Despite careful verification, errors may occur. Readers may email info@grantsforseniors.org with corrections.
Disclaimer
This article is for informational purposes only and is not legal, financial, medical, tax, disability-rights, immigration, or government-agency advice. Program rules, policies, funding, and availability can change. Readers should confirm current details directly with the responsible official program before acting.
Last updated: 17 September 2026 · Next review: 17 January 2027
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