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Does Illinois Pay for Home Health Care?
Date Updated: July 26, 2024
Written by:
Rachel Lustbader is a writer and editor with a background in healthcare and technology. Her work has been published on websites including HealthCare.com, BiteSizeBio.com, BetterHelp.com, Caring.com, and PayingforSeniorCare.com. She studied health science and public health at Boston University.
Both of Rachel’s grandmothers had very positive experiences in senior living communities, and Rachel saw firsthand the impact that kind, committed caregivers and community managers can have on seniors’ and their family members’ lives. With her work at Caring, Rachel hopes to help other families find communities, caregivers, and at-home products that benefit elderly loved ones and make life less stressful for family caregivers
Illinois funds certain home health services through several Medicaid waivers. These waivers allow the state to pay for services usually excluded from state Medicaid programs.
In-Home Care Program
The state operates an In-Home Care Program that pays for elderly or disabled adults to receive care and other services usually received in a nursing facility. Therefore, it can help enrollees remain living in their own homes instead of entering a residential setting. Home health benefits may include respite care, home health aide services, personal emergency response systems, assistive technology, family training, medical equipment and supplies and rehabilitative, habilitative and functional maintenance therapies.
Each of Illinois’ home health care waivers serves a different population group. Therefore, the list of covered home health services depends on your medical, health and social needs and which waiver you enroll in. For example, the HCBS Waiver for Persons Who are Elderly covers homemaker services, adult daycare and automated medication dispensers, but it doesn’t cover nursing care or rehabilitative therapies. Meanwhile, Medically Fragile, Technology Dependent waiver enrollees could qualify for funded in-home nursing care and home adaptations.
Eligibility for In-Home Care Program
Illinois only pays for home health care for people eligible for the state’s Medicaid program. Therefore, you must meet certain financial, residency and demographic criteria to qualify.
Each Medicaid waiver covering home health care in Illinois has its own eligibility criteria. For example, some waivers only serve people requiring a nursing home level of care or with certain medical conditions or disabilities. Your age may also affect which waivers you can receive. Some waivers accept specific age groups, while others serve people of any age.
Other Medicaid waivers
Other Medicaid waivers covering home health care in Illinois include:
- Adults with Developmental Disabilities Waiver
- HCBS Waiver for Persons Who are Elderly
- Persons with Disabilities Waiver
- Medically Fragile, Technology Dependent Waiver
- HCBS Waiver for Persons with Brain Injury