Texas pays for in-home care through three programs: STAR+PLUS, Primary Home Care and Community Attendant Services. These programs primarily serve low-income people who generally cannot afford to pay for care, which costs an average of $4,576 per month in Texas. Below, learn about what these programs cover and find out who is eligible.

STAR+PLUS

STAR+PLUS is a Medicaid-managed care program that pays for services people need to safely live in their homes. Seniors get these services through a Medicaid plan of their choice. The program pays for personal care, nursing, home-delivered meals, therapies, respite care, accessibility modifications and related services. STAR+PLUS plans also offer value-added services that aren’t covered by Medicaid. Services may include weight loss programs, dental exams, podiatry visits and access to a 24-7 nurse hotline.

To be eligible for STAR+PLUS, seniors must qualify for Medicaid and meet one or more of these requirements:

  • Receives SSI benefits
  • Does not receive SSI benefits but qualifies for STAR+PLUS Home and Community-Based Services
  • Receives Medicaid through a Social Security Exclusion program and meets income/asset limits
  • Receives Medicaid while living in a nursing home
  • Is in the Medicaid Breast and Cervical Cancer program

Primary Home Care (PHC) and Community Attendant Services (CAS)

PHC and CAS provide personal attendant services for seniors in their homes. These programs are similar, but PHC is a Medicaid program while CAS is for people who don’t qualify for Medicaid. Both programs provide nonmedical services such as housekeeping, shopping, meal preparation, transportation to doctor’s appointments and help with activities of daily living, such as grooming and getting dressed.

For both programs, seniors must be able to safely reside in their home (or a family member’s home) and meet a functional needs assessment. The PHC program has an income limit of $841 per month and an asset limit of $2,000. The CAS asset limit is the same, but the monthly income limit is higher at $2,523 per month.