The Minnesota Leadership Council on Aging reports that in Minnesota alone, 600,000 caregivers leave over $7 billion on the table annually as they provide non-medical home care for elderly parents or disabled family members. At Best Care, we understand the financial burdens that caring for a family member may create and we’ve made it our mission to provide a wide variety of connections to compensation for family caregivers. Explore the options below and discover how caregivers can be compensated for the in-home support they currently provide.
The Minnesota PCA Program
Under either of the PCA service options offered by the Minnesota Department of Human Services, the PCA Choice option or the Traditional PCA option, individuals may select a caregiver, such as a family member and friend, to work for them through a PCA agency like Best Care. In order to receive compensation, home caregivers must first qualify to work as a Personal Care Assistant (PCA) in the state of Minnesota.
Under this home care program, parents are not permitted to provide home care for their under-aged children, nor are spouses permitted to act as caregivers for each other.
Watch Andre Best Explain How to Get Paid for Taking Care of a Family Member
Coverage through Medicaid
Medicaid's Cash & Counseling Program provides low-income individuals with the freedom to choose their own home attendant, which includes the option of hiring relatives or friends as their personal care assistant.
The program is available in 48 states (although it may be called by a different name), and eligibility requirements and rules vary. Refer to the National Resource Center for Participant-Directed Services to learn about your state’s specific requirements.
Benefits for Disabled Veterans
The Veterans Administration provides monthly payments, reimbursement for travel expenses, and health insurance for family members providing in home care for disabled veterans who incurred injuries during their service after September 11, 2001. The average monthly stipend for indivduals who care for a disabled family member is $1600. The VA also pays for PCAs and home health care for disabled veterans.
How do Caregivers Get Paid?
Depending on your specific situation, you may receive direct payments from Medicaid or from the state as a family caregiver. As a PCA, you may receive payment directly from the state after submitting some forms, or you receive payment from a qualified home care agency. In the state of Minnesota, PCAs receive payment from a home care agency after their relative or friend has been approved for PCA services.
To learn more about getting paid to take care of a family member, contact Best Care directly at (651) 330-2550, info@bestcaremn.com, or through our online contact form.
