How to Pay for Home Care in Louisiana

Community Choices Waiver (CCW)

Helps pay for: Medicaid HCBS alternative to nursing-facility care; can authorize personal care, respite, meals, nursing/therapy, assistive technology, home modifications, monitoring, adult day and transition supports.

Who qualifies: Age 21+; long-term-care Medicaid eligibility; nursing-home level of care; waiver opportunity/priority and approved plan required.

How to start: Call Louisiana Options and request CCW screening.

Good to know: Family caregiver payment: Sometimes

Adult Day Health Care (ADHC) Waiver

Helps pay for: Provides supervised medical, personal-care, medication, meals, activities and transportation services at an adult day health center, plus certain home supports.

Who qualifies: Age 22+; LTC Medicaid; nursing-home level of care; waiver priority/slot and plan required.

How to start: Call Louisiana Options for ADHC Waiver screening.

Good to know: Family caregiver payment: No

CCW Self-Direction Option

Helps pay for: Lets an eligible participant or representative recruit, hire, train, supervise and manage workers for approved self-directed services with fiscal-employer support.

Who qualifies: Must be enrolled in CCW and approved for self-direction; employer, payroll, background-check and EVV requirements apply.

How to start: Tell the CCW support coordinator you want the self-direction option.

Good to know: Family caregiver payment: Sometimes - verify worker relationship rules

CCW Caregiver Temporary Support

Helps pay for: Short-term respite that gives an unpaid caregiver time away while the participant receives authorized support.

Who qualifies: CCW eligibility and respite authorization in the plan; availability/provider rules apply.

How to start: Ask the support coordinator about caregiver temporary support.

Good to know: Family caregiver payment: No continuous caregiver wage

CCW Assistive Technology & Specialized Medical Supports

Helps pay for: Can fund approved technology, devices and related supports that increase safety and independence at home.

Who qualifies: Must be medically/functionally necessary and authorized under the CCW plan.

How to start: Discuss equipment/technology needs with the support coordinator.

Good to know: Family caregiver payment: No

CCW In-Home Monitoring Systems

Helps pay for: Can cover approved monitoring/alert technology that supports safe independent living and may reduce paid supervision needs.

Who qualifies: CCW enrollment and service-plan authorization.

How to start: Ask the support coordinator about monitoring options.

Good to know: Family caregiver payment: No

CCW Adult Day Health Care Services

Helps pay for: Can authorize adult day health care, reducing the number of hours that must be covered by in-home supervision for suitable participants.

Who qualifies: CCW enrollment; assessed need; licensed provider availability; plan authorization.

How to start: Ask the support coordinator about ADHC services.

Good to know: Family caregiver payment: No

CCW Permanent Supportive Housing Linkage

Helps pay for: CCW includes linkage to Permanent Supportive Housing for eligible people with significant disabilities who need affordable housing plus services.

Who qualifies: PSH/CCW eligibility and housing availability apply; PSH is not a caregiver wage.

How to start: Ask Louisiana Options/support coordinator about PSH eligibility.

Good to know: Family caregiver payment: No

ADHC Waiver Personal Assistance Around Center Attendance

Helps pay for: OAAS may authorize assistance such as bathing, dressing or toileting before/after attendance based on the individual plan.

Who qualifies: ADHC waiver eligibility, assessed need and approved plan.

How to start: Discuss before/after-center ADL needs with the support coordinator.

Good to know: Family caregiver payment: No

ADHC PERS + Activity/Sensor Monitoring

Helps pay for: Can provide emergency response and home activity/fall monitoring technology to support safety outside the center.

Who qualifies: ADHC waiver eligibility and authorization.

How to start: Ask the support coordinator about PERS/sensor monitoring.

Good to know: Family caregiver payment: No

PACE

Helps pay for: Integrated medical and long-term services that can include home health, in-home caregivers, therapies, transportation and other supports needed to remain in the community.

Who qualifies: Age 55+; nursing-facility level of care; live in a PACE service area; able to live safely in community. Louisiana lists providers in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Lafayette and Alexandria.

How to start: Contact the local PACE organization or Louisiana Options.

Good to know: Family caregiver payment: No direct cash

SPAS Home & Vehicle Modifications

Helps pay for: Can help fund approved home or vehicle modifications that support community living and reduce dependence on paid assistance.

Who qualifies: SPAS eligibility and individualized approval/funding availability.

How to start: Ask The Arc/SPAS about modification assistance.

Good to know: Family caregiver payment: No

Traumatic Brain & Spinal Cord Injury Trust Fund

Helps pay for: Flexible program that may pay for personal care attendant services, therapies, equipment, home modifications and other supports for eligible Louisiana residents with traumatic brain/spinal cord injury.

Who qualifies: Louisiana resident with qualifying traumatic brain/spinal cord injury; other Medicare/Medicaid sources generally must be exhausted; service-plan/funding rules apply.

How to start: Apply to the TBSCI Trust Fund program.

Good to know: Family caregiver payment: Sometimes - case-specific

My Place Louisiana (Money Follows the Person)

Helps pay for: Helps eligible people move from qualified institutions to home/community settings and can provide transition planning, one-time items and linkage to HCBS.

Who qualifies: Must meet My Place/MFP institutional and Medicaid transition criteria; OAAS or OIDD pathway depends on population.

How to start: Ask the facility social worker, OAAS or OIDD about My Place.

Good to know: Family caregiver payment: No

Medicaid Purchase Plan (MPP)

Helps pay for: Allows qualifying workers with severe disabilities to keep/buy into full Medicaid coverage, which can preserve access to covered medical and long-term-care services while working.

Who qualifies: Age 16 to under 65; Social Security-level severe disability; working; current income/resource rules; premium may apply above 150% FPL.

How to start: Apply through Louisiana Medicaid Self-Service Portal.

Good to know: Family caregiver payment: No

New Opportunities Waiver (NOW)

Helps pay for: Comprehensive HCBS for people with developmental disabilities, including IFS, supported living, adult companion care, respite, nursing, equipment, adaptations, PERS, transition and self-direction.

Who qualifies: Medicaid; age 3+; OIDD approval; developmental disability; ICF/IID level of care; needs not met by another OIDD waiver; tiered RFSR priority.

How to start: Contact OIDD/local Human Services District or Authority.

Good to know: Family caregiver payment: Yes under specified conditions

Residential Options Waiver (ROW)

Helps pay for: HCBS for people with I/DD with community living supports, companion care, host home/shared living, respite, nursing, equipment, modifications, transportation, ADHC, PERS and housing stabilization.

Who qualifies: Medicaid; OIDD approval; ICF/IID level of care; ROW priority/tiered allocation and approved plan.

How to start: Contact OIDD/local Human Services District or Authority.

Good to know: Family caregiver payment: Sometimes

Supports Waiver

Helps pay for: Home/community waiver for adults 18+ with developmental disabilities; includes respite, habilitation, supported employment/day services, PERS and housing-stabilization services.

Who qualifies: Age 18+; Medicaid; OIDD approval; developmental disability; ICF/IID level of care; RFSR/tiered allocation.

How to start: Contact OIDD/local Human Services District or Authority.

Good to know: Family caregiver payment: Yes under specified conditions

NOW Self-Direction Option

Helps pay for: Allows eligible NOW participants to recruit, hire and manage workers for approved self-directed services with fiscal-employer support.

Who qualifies: NOW enrollment; self-direction approval; employer/worker, payroll, background-check and EVV rules.

How to start: Ask the support coordinator for self-direction enrollment.

Good to know: Family caregiver payment: Yes under specified conditions

ROW Community Living Supports, Companion & Shared Living

Helps pay for: Can pay authorized daily-living, community and residential supports that substitute for or supplement traditional home care.

Who qualifies: ROW enrollment, assessed need, provider/worker qualifications and plan authorization.

How to start: Discuss CLS/companion/shared-living models with the support coordinator.

Good to know: Family caregiver payment: Sometimes - arrangement specific

Supports Waiver Family Members as Paid Caregivers

Helps pay for: Louisiana amended Supports Waiver rules to include family members as paid caregivers under certain circumstances.

Who qualifies: Supports Waiver eligibility plus current family-worker, service-plan, shared-services and provider requirements.

How to start: Ask the support coordinator specifically about family paid-caregiver eligibility.

Good to know: Family caregiver payment: Yes - under specified conditions

Children’s Choice Family Support Services

Helps pay for: Can pay authorized support that helps a child remain at home with family, supplementing unpaid family care and Medicaid state-plan benefits.

Who qualifies: Children’s Choice enrollment, approved family-support service plan and worker/provider rules.

How to start: Ask the support coordinator about family support/PCA services.

Good to know: Family caregiver payment: Yes under specified conditions

Children’s Choice Family Members as Paid Caregivers

Helps pay for: Louisiana amended Children’s Choice rules to include family members as paid caregivers under certain conditions.

Who qualifies: Must satisfy current family-worker, service, hours/shared-services and waiver plan rules; not every relative/service arrangement qualifies.

How to start: Ask the OIDD support coordinator to verify the exact qualifying family relationship and service.

Good to know: Family caregiver payment: Yes - under specified conditions

GOEA / AAA Personal Care Services

Helps pay for: Local aging-network programs may subsidize hands-on ADL assistance for eligible older adults, depending on parish/AAA funding and assessment.

Who qualifies: Local Older Americans Act/state program eligibility, age/need and funding availability vary.

How to start: Contact the local Area Agency on Aging/Council on Aging.

Good to know: Family caregiver payment: No continuous caregiver wage

GOEA / AAA Homemaker Services

Helps pay for: Can help with meal preparation, shopping, light housework and other IADLs, reducing private-pay home-care hours.

Who qualifies: Local AAA assessment, age/need and funding availability.

How to start: Contact local AAA/Council on Aging.

Good to know: Family caregiver payment: No

GOEA Transportation / Medical Transportation

Helps pay for: Local aging-network transportation services can reduce caregiver driving time and out-of-pocket transportation costs.

Who qualifies: Local eligibility, trip purpose, geography and funding vary by AAA/Council on Aging.

How to start: Contact local AAA/Council on Aging.

Good to know: Family caregiver payment: No

GOEA / AAA Medical Alert Services

Helps pay for: Local aging-network medical alert or emergency-response services can reduce supervision burden and support safer independent living.

Who qualifies: Local AAA/Council on Aging eligibility, assessment and funding availability vary.

How to start: Contact local AAA/Council on Aging and ask about medical alert or emergency-response services.

Good to know: Family caregiver payment: No

Medicare Home Health Benefit

Helps pay for: Original Medicare/Medicare Advantage can cover qualifying intermittent skilled nursing, therapy and limited home-health aide services when home-health eligibility rules are met.

Who qualifies: Must meet Medicare home-health requirements, including need for qualifying skilled services and certification; not a general custodial-care benefit.

How to start: Ask the treating clinician and a Medicare-certified home health agency.

Good to know: Family caregiver payment: No

Medicare Caregiver Training Services

Helps pay for: Medicare can cover training for caregivers to help them safely perform certain treatment-related tasks for a beneficiary when coverage requirements are met.

Who qualifies: Training must be part of the beneficiary’s treatment and ordered/provided under Medicare rules.

How to start: Ask the treating clinician whether caregiver training can be billed to Medicare.

Good to know: Family caregiver payment: No wage

Louisiana SNAP / Elderly Simplified Application Project (ESAP)

Helps pay for: SNAP reduces food spending; ESAP simplifies SNAP for many households age 60+ and/or disabled with no earned income, including longer certification and streamlined verification.

Who qualifies: SNAP financial rules; ESAP has additional household criteria.

How to start: Apply through Louisiana SNAP/CAFÉ and ask whether ESAP applies.

Good to know: Family caregiver payment: No

Louisiana Weatherization Assistance Program

Helps pay for: Provides qualifying energy-efficiency improvements such as insulation, air sealing and duct work that can lower ongoing utility costs.

Who qualifies: Household income and home eligibility; waiting lists/priority rules apply, with priority points for elderly/disabled households.

How to start: Apply through the local LHC weatherization provider.

Good to know: Family caregiver payment: No

Long-Term Care Insurance

Helps pay for: A private LTC policy may reimburse covered home health, personal care, respite, adult day or other long-term-care expenses depending on the contract.

Who qualifies: Must own an in-force policy and satisfy benefit triggers, elimination period and covered-service/provider terms.

How to start: Review the policy and open a claim with the insurer before incurring major expenses.

Good to know: Family caregiver payment: Indirectly

VA Homemaker & Home Health Aide

Helps pay for: VA may pay an authorized community aide to help an eligible Veteran with ADLs and selected daily tasks.

Who qualifies: VA enrollment/community-care eligibility, clinical need and local availability; copay may apply.

How to start: Ask VA primary care/social work for assessment and authorization.

Good to know: Family caregiver payment: No

VA Homemaker & Home Health Aide

Helps pay for: VA may pay an authorized community aide to help an eligible Veteran with ADLs and selected daily tasks.

Who qualifies: VA enrollment/community-care eligibility, clinical need and local availability; copay may apply. Ask VA primary care/social work for assessment and authorization.

How to start: Ask the VA social worker or care team about VA Homemaker & Home Health Aide.

Good to know: Family caregiver payment: No

Veteran-Directed Care (VDC)

Helps pay for: Provides a flexible self-directed budget for eligible Veterans who need personal care and help with daily activities; workers may include family or neighbors under local program rules.

Who qualifies: Enrolled Veteran; community-care eligibility; clinical need and local VDC availability. Ask the VA social worker whether VDC is available through the local VA/AAA partnership.

How to start: Ask the VA social worker or care team about Veteran-Directed Care (VDC).

Good to know: Family caregiver payment: Yes

VA Skilled Home Health

Helps pay for: VA may purchase skilled nursing, therapy and related home-health services from community providers for eligible Veterans.

Who qualifies: Clinical need, VA eligibility and authorization/local availability. Ask the VA care team for skilled home-health assessment/referral.

How to start: Ask the VA social worker or care team about VA Skilled Home Health.

Good to know: Family caregiver payment: No

VA Respite Care

Helps pay for: VA may arrange in-home, adult-day or nursing-home respite to give eligible caregivers a break.

Who qualifies: Clinical need, enrollment and local availability; community-care authorization may apply. Ask the VA caregiver support coordinator/social worker.

How to start: Ask the VA social worker or care team about VA Respite Care.

Good to know: Family caregiver payment: No

VA Aid & Attendance

Helps pay for: Extra pension amount for a qualifying Veteran/survivor who needs help with ADLs, is bedridden, has severe vision impairment or meets other criteria.

Who qualifies: Must qualify for VA pension and Aid & Attendance medical/financial criteria. Apply through VA or an accredited representative.

How to start: Ask the VA social worker or care team about VA Aid & Attendance.

Good to know: Family caregiver payment: Yes, indirectly

Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC)

Helps pay for: Monthly stipend and additional supports for an approved primary family caregiver of an eligible Veteran.

Who qualifies: Veteran and caregiver must meet PCAFC eligibility and complete VA assessment/enrollment. Apply jointly through VA Caregiver Support.

How to start: Ask the VA social worker or care team about Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC).

Good to know: Family caregiver payment: Yes

VA Community Care Network - Region 3

Helps pay for: VA-authorized community care may include home health and other approved services. Louisiana is in CCN Region 3; Optum administers Regions 1-3.

Who qualifies: VA referral/authorization and community-care eligibility generally apply. Obtain VA authorization before routine community care; do not assume reimbursement after private hire.

How to start: Ask the VA social worker or care team about VA Community Care Network - Region 3.

Good to know: Family caregiver payment: No

VA Pension

Helps pay for: Needs-based monthly cash benefit for qualifying wartime Veterans or survivors; can be used toward living and care expenses.

Who qualifies: Wartime service plus age/disability and net-worth/income rules. Apply through VA or an accredited representative.

How to start: Ask the VA social worker or care team about VA Pension.

Good to know: Family caregiver payment: Yes, indirectly

Housebound Pension Add-On

Helps pay for: Additional pension amount for some pension-eligible Veterans substantially confined to the home because of permanent disability.

Who qualifies: Must qualify for pension plus housebound criteria; cannot generally receive both A&A and housebound add-ons. Apply with pension/A&A-housebound forms and medical evidence.

How to start: Ask the VA social worker or care team about Housebound Pension Add-On.

Good to know: Family caregiver payment: Yes, indirectly

Home Improvements and Structural Alterations (HISA)

Helps pay for: Grant for medically necessary home improvements/structural alterations such as accessibility changes.

Who qualifies: Veteran must meet HISA clinical/eligibility rules; prescribed improvement and approval required. Ask VA prosthetics/rehabilitation or care team before starting work.

How to start: Ask the VA social worker or care team about Home Improvements and Structural Alterations (HISA).

Good to know: Family caregiver payment: No

VA Adult Day Health Care

Helps pay for: Therapeutic daytime health, rehabilitation and social services can reduce in-home supervision needs for eligible Veterans.

Who qualifies: Clinical need, enrollment/eligibility and local availability. Ask the VA social worker about adult day health care.

How to start: Ask the VA social worker or care team about VA Adult Day Health Care.

Good to know: Family caregiver payment: No

VA Hospice Care

Helps pay for: VA can arrange hospice/palliative services, often including home-based support, for eligible Veterans with advanced illness.

Who qualifies: Clinical eligibility and VA/hospice authorization requirements. Ask VA care team for hospice/palliative consultation.

How to start: Ask the VA social worker or care team about VA Hospice Care.

Good to know: Family caregiver payment: No

VA Aid & Attendance Pension Add-On

Helps pay for: Additional pension payment for qualifying Veterans/survivors who need help with daily activities or meet other criteria; cash can be used toward care.

Who qualifies: Must qualify for VA pension plus Aid & Attendance medical/financial criteria.

How to start: Apply through VA or an accredited representative.

Good to know: Family caregiver payment: Yes, indirectly