Michigan Home Help Program Eligibility: Who Qualifies and Who Doesn't

Two Sets of Eligibility Requirements

The Michigan Home Help Program has eligibility requirements for two separate people: the person who will receive care, and the person who will be paid to provide it. Both must qualify for the program to work.

This guide breaks down each set of requirements clearly, including the situations that disqualify a family and the ones that often get misunderstood.

Eligibility for the Person Receiving Care

1. Michigan Residency

The care recipient must be a Michigan resident. This means they must live in Michigan — not just be a Michigan citizen or have a Michigan address on file elsewhere.

2. Michigan Medicaid Enrollment

The care recipient must be actively enrolled in Michigan Medicaid. This includes:

Full Medicaid (traditional Michigan Medicaid)
Healthy Michigan Plan (Medicaid expansion for adults 19–64 with income up to 138% of the federal poverty level)
Medicare-Medicaid dually enrolled individuals (both Medicare and Medicaid)

Medicare alone does not qualify. This is a common source of confusion. Many seniors have Medicare but not Medicaid. If the care recipient is on Medicare only, they would need to apply for Medicaid separately before Home Help enrollment is possible.

3. Functional Need for In-Home Care

The care recipient must need assistance with Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) or Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs) due to age, physical disability, or chronic health condition.

ADL examples:

Unable to bathe independently
Needs help dressing or undressing
Requires assistance eating or with meal preparation
Has mobility limitations that require physical assistance

IADL examples:

Cannot independently manage laundry, cleaning, or grocery shopping
Needs help managing medications or getting to appointments

Here's exactly how many hours MDHHS authorizes for each type of household assistance (set by MDHHS policy):

| Service | Monthly Maximum | |---|---| | Meal preparation | Up to 25 hours/month | | Laundry | Up to 7 hours/month | | Light housework | Up to 6 hours/month | | Shopping | Up to 5 hours/month |

Note: In shared living arrangements, IADL hours are prorated by half.

There is no specific diagnosis required. The assessment is functional — based on what the person can and cannot do independently — not on a specific medical label.

4. MDHHS Assessment

A MDHHS caseworker must conduct a functional assessment and determine that the care recipient qualifies for in-home services. This assessment establishes the authorized service plan — the specific tasks covered and the maximum hours per month.

Eligibility for the Caregiver

1. Age

The caregiver must be at least 18 years old.

2. Relationship to the Care Recipient

The caregiver must be related to or closely associated with the care recipient. Eligible relationships include:

Adult children (most common)
Siblings
Grandchildren
Nieces and nephews
Other adult family members
Close friends (in some cases)

Spouses are generally not eligible. This is one of the most important restrictions in the program. Michigan's Home Help Program typically does not allow a husband or wife to be paid as a caregiver for their spouse. This rule exists because spouses are considered to already have a legal obligation of mutual support under Michigan law.

If the only available caregiver is a spouse, it's worth speaking with a Navigator about possible alternatives or related programs.

3. CHAMPS Provider Enrollment

The caregiver must be enrolled as a provider in CHAMPS — Michigan's Medicaid management system. This is a formal enrollment process that includes providing personal identification, selecting the correct provider type, and passing a background check.

4. Criminal Background Check

CHAMPS enrollment requires a criminal history screening. Certain convictions — particularly those involving fraud, abuse, or neglect of vulnerable adults — will result in disqualification. Most background issues that don't involve these specific categories do not disqualify a caregiver.

5. EVV Compliance (HHAeXchange)

The caregiver must set up and actively use Electronic Visit Verification through HHAeXchange. This is an ongoing compliance requirement — not just a one-time setup. Every visit must be logged with a check-in and check-out to generate payment.

6. No Employment by an Agency for the Same Recipient

A caregiver generally cannot be paid through the Home Help Program for the same person if they are also employed by a licensed home care agency to provide care to that person.

Common Situations That Disqualify Families

| Situation | Result | |---|---| | Care recipient on Medicare only (no Medicaid) | Ineligible until Medicaid is obtained | | Caregiver is the spouse | Generally ineligible | | Care recipient does not live in Michigan | Ineligible | | Caregiver has a disqualifying criminal conviction | Ineligible | | Care recipient doesn't need ADL/IADL help | Ineligible |

Common Situations That Are Actually Eligible (Often Misunderstood)

"My parent has Medicare and Medicaid both." Dual enrollment (Medicare + Medicaid) is fine. Medicaid is the qualifying program for Home Help.

"My sibling doesn't have a Medicaid card — they have Blue Cross." Some Medicaid-eligible individuals are enrolled in Medicaid-managed care plans (like a Blue Cross Medicaid plan). This still counts. Check the actual enrollment status, not just the card.

"I live in the same house as my parent." Co-residence does not disqualify a caregiver. In fact, many enrolled caregivers live with the person receiving care.

"I already work full time." Employment elsewhere does not affect eligibility. Home Help hours are based on the care recipient's needs, not the caregiver's employment status.

How to Find Out If Your Family Qualifies

The fastest way is to use our free eligibility quiz — five questions, under two minutes, immediate answer. If your family likely qualifies, we'll walk you through next steps at no cost.

We're Michigan-based, veteran-owned, and we know the MDHHS Home Help system from the inside. We've helped families who were sure they didn't qualify — and turned out they did.