Who pays for home care?
Commision or Division on Aging
There are several programs that are offered for older adults through the Commission on Aging and these include the lunch programs and other support services funded by our tax dollars.
Some government subsidized home care may be available through the MI Medicaid Home Based Waiver. This program was designed to keep people who might otherwise need to move into a nursing home facility, in their own home! Primary Home Care is a contract provider of this help which must be applied for and secured through Region VII Area Agency on Aging. Some restrictions apply, the funding is provided from federal, state and other public money and openings are often limited. For more information, click on the link below or contact your local Commission or Division on Aging.
Medicare |
Veteran's Benefits |
Long Term Care |
Auto-No Fault |
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Misconceptions about Medicare A common misconception that many people have is that Medicare will pay for all home care services. The truth is that Medicare pays for less than half of all home care services that are delivered within the United States. Medicare has very strict guidelines about who can receive home care services. The most significant of these is that individuals receiving the care have a need for skilled services, such as those provided by a nurse or a therapist. The services are also intermittent, and are not delivered over any length of time. For people who need ongoing assistance with non-skilled care such as bathing, meal preparation help as a result of simple aging, or chronic conditions, Medicare is usually not the answer. |
Armed Forces Veterans Benefts Individuals who have served this country in the armed forces may qualify with assistance with homecare under the category of “Pension” benefits. Pension is available to all active-duty veterans who served at least 90 days during a period of war. There is no need to have a service-connected disability to receive pension. To be eligible the applicant must be totally disabled if he or she is younger than 65. Proof of disability is not required for applicants age 65 or over. Surviving single spouses of these veterans are also eligible for lesser benefits and for the allowances. Pension can pay up to $1,800 a month to help offset the costs associated with home care, assisted living, nursing homes and other un-reimbursed medical expenses. The amount of payment varies with the type of care, recipient income and the marital status of the recipient. VA claims this benefit is only for low income veterans but a quirk in the way the benefit is calculated for recurring medical expenses (long term care costs associated with home care, assisted living or nursing homes) could allow veteran households earning between $2,500 and $5,000 or more a month to qualify. |
Long Term Care (LTC) Insurance Some individuals may have planned in advance for their advanced years or through long term acre insurance. These policies are more frequently being offered as an optional employee benefit or have been purchased by individuals privately. There are several companies that offer LTC policies. Although LTC policies differ in what they offer or what benefit triggers are, for the most part, they all offer a daily benefit of a certain dollar amount (for example; $100 to $200 per day) to the policyholder should they meet the required benefit trigger. Benefit triggers on many policies are defined as deficit in one to three activities of daily living.
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Auto-No Fault Insurance The Michigan No-Fault Law has the broadest and most generous medical and patient care provisions of any No-Fault State. Section 3107(1) (a) states that an injured person is entitled to recover allowable expenses consisting of: “All reasonable charges incurred for reasonably necessary products, services and accommodations for an injured person’s care, recovery or rehabilitation.” This means that individuals injured as a result of a motor vehicle accident, including those hit as a pedestrian or on a bicycle, will receive full compensation for their care for as long as it is needed with no caps or ceilings. |