Frequently Asked Questions

The Home Help Program is a specific type of Medicaid-funded home care benefit. While “home health care” typically refers to medical or clinical services supervised directly by a physician (such as skilled nursing or physical therapy), the Home Help Program focuses entirely on non-medical, personal care services and daily household tasks.

Yes, Medicaid covers in-home caregiving through the Home Help Program. To receive coverage, the person needing care must have active, full Medicaid coverage with the State of Michigan. At Stay Home Home Care, we work with straight Medicaid and a wide range of Medicaid plans, including Molina, Aetna Better Health, UnitedHealthcare, Humana, Priority Health, AmeriHealth, HAP CareSource, and the Detroit Area Agency on Aging.

Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) are essential self-care tasks required to take care of oneself. These include eating, bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, transferring (such as moving from a bed to a chair), and mobility inside the home.

On the other hand, Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs) are supportive household tasks necessary for independent living but not required every day. These include meal preparation, light housework, laundry, shopping for essential items, and managing medications.

To be approved for the program, the client must be certified by a medical professional as requiring hands-on physical assistance with at least one ADL. IADLs alone do not qualify a client for the program. However, once a client is approved based on their ADL needs, the state can also authorize and pay for help with their IADLs.

Several factors can disqualify an individual from being a paid caregiver under the Home Help Program:

• Age: Caregivers must be at least 18 years old.
• Relationship Status: Spouses cannot be hired to provide care under the Home Help Program, nor can parents of a minor client who is under 18.
• Background Screenings: Individuals with recent or severe criminal history, specifically crimes involving the abuse, neglect, exploitation of vulnerable adults, or Medicaid fraud, are disqualified.
• Training and Forms: Caregivers must complete basic state-mandated training and register in the state’s payment system (CHAMPS) to receive funds.

It does not. The Home Help Program is a pre-existing Medicaid state plan benefit. Using our service is 100 percent free to both the client and the caregiver. Our administrative support and enrollment assistance do not affect active Medicaid eligibility, food assistance, or SSI payments.

You can be a paid caregiver for multiple eligible family members. However, each family member must independently apply, meet Medicaid eligibility rules, and be evaluated by their county caseworker. It is important to note that if you are caring for multiple family members living in the same household, the state may prorate authorized hours for shared household tasks, such as shopping or laundry, to prevent double billing.

Once the state receives your complete application packet, MDHHS has up to 45 business days to process the paperwork and assign a caseworker to coordinate the home assessment visit. Working with Stay Home Home Care helps prevent processing delays because our case managers review your documents for errors before they are physically submitted.

There is no waiting list. Unlike certain specialized waiver programs that have limited enrollment caps, the Home Help Program is a Medicaid State Plan entitlement. If the client meets the financial and medical criteria, they are guaranteed access to the benefit.

Once approved, the caregiver must enroll as a provider in the state’s database, known as CHAMPS (Community Health Automated Medicaid Processing System). This requires registering a MiLogin account and undergoing a standard background screening. Caregivers will also set up an Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) profile to track their hours. Stay Home Home Care guides you through each of these steps, sets up your payroll, and handles the invoicing process so you can start working and getting paid without administrative stress.

If the client’s health declines, or if they require more hands-on physical help than they did during their initial assessment, contact your Stay Home Home Care case manager. We will help you compile updated medical records and assist you in requesting a reassessment from your MDHHS caseworker to adjust your authorized hours.

No medical licenses, nursing certifications, or advanced degrees are needed because this program covers non-medical personal care. However, caregivers must complete basic, free, online training modules mandated by the state of Michigan once enrolled to ensure compliance with basic safety and caregiving standards.

Yes, this is a core component of the program. The client is the employer and retains the right to choose their own caregiver, whether that is an adult child, grandchild, sibling, extended relative, trusted friend, or neighbor.

No, cohabitation is not required. You may live in a separate home and travel to the client’s residence to provide the authorized hours of care. Please note that your living arrangements can affect how your caregiver income is taxed.

When you register and process your program hours through Stay Home Home Care, your earnings are classified as W-2 wages. We manage the payroll process, handle tax withholdings, and provide you with a W-2 form at the end of the tax year.

Because the program is funded entirely by Medicaid, the client must maintain active, full Michigan Medicaid for caregiver payments to continue. If a lapse in coverage occurs, the state will pause caregiver payments until Medicaid is active again. Our case managers actively monitor coverage statuses and will alert you if any renewal issues arise, helping you resolve them quickly.

While the Home Help Program itself strictly funds daily personal care rather than standalone respite care, the program does allow a client to hire more than one caregiver. We recommend designating a primary caregiver and a secondary caregiver, such as another trusted family member. This allows your secondary caregiver to log hours and provide care whenever the primary caregiver is sick, busy, or taking a break.