Key Takeaways
- Cost: Medicaid may pay for home care when a person qualifies.
- Help: A care plan may cover bathing, dressing, meals, or safe movement.
- Hours: A state agency or health plan decides the approved hours based on care needs.
- Next step: List the daily tasks your relative needs help with and ask which program may fit.
Can an adult with a disability get free home care? Sometimes, yes. Some people who qualify for Medicaid may get care at home at little or no cost. Their plan must approve the care. A disability alone does not mean that all home care is free. A state agency or health plan reviews the person's needs first.
You might help your parent get dressed before work, make meals, or get out of bed. It can be hard to know which care needs count. This guide explains the main options in Maryland and New Jersey. It shows what to prepare before you ask for help.
What Does Free Home Care Mean?
Free home care usually means an approved program pays for certain home care tasks. It does not mean that every kind of help is covered. The person must meet program rules. Their care plan lists which tasks and hours can be paid for. Ask about any costs before care starts.
What Kind of Daily Help Can Be Covered?
Personal care may include help with bathing, dressing, eating, and using the toilet. It may also cover moving from bed to a chair. Some plans also cover meal help and light chores linked to the person's care needs. The state or health plan decides which tasks are approved.
Medical treatment is different from everyday personal care. If your relative needs wound care, shots, or nursing tasks, ask their care team. They can help you find a licensed provider. Medicare does not pay for personal care alone when that is the only care needed.
Maryland: Community First Choice and CPAS
Maryland's Community First Choice (CFC) may cover personal help at home. The person must have full Medicaid. They must also meet the state's institutional level-of-care test. Community Personal Assistance Services (CPAS) is a different option. It requires full Medicaid and help with at least one daily activity. A state review sets the services and hours.
New Jersey: PCA and Self-Directed Care
In New Jersey, NJ FamilyCare Personal Care Assistant (PCA) services may cover hands-on help at home. A nursing assessment sets the approved hours. The Personal Preference Program (PPP) lets some eligible members choose and manage their care workers. These are different ways to arrange approved help.
- Maryland: Ask Maryland Access Point about CFC and CPAS. They have different rules for care needs.
- New Jersey: Ask the NJ FamilyCare health plan for a PCA care review and about PPP if you want to manage care workers.
You do not need to know the program name before asking for help. The right first call depends on where your relative lives and which health plan they have. You can also explore Cottage's Maryland home care options or New Jersey home care services.
Who May Qualify for Covered Home Care?
Start with your relative's Medicaid or NJ FamilyCare status and the help they need each day. A state or health plan may look at bathing, dressing, eating, walking, and other tasks. The rules also depend on the program and living setting. A diagnosis alone does not approve home care.
What to Prepare Before You Apply
Have your relative's Medicaid or NJ FamilyCare card, address, and health plan details nearby. List the tasks they need help with. Note when help is needed and what they can still do alone. If there was a fall or a hospital stay, write down what changed. Keep medical records ready if the care team asks for them.
If your relative does not have Medicaid yet, ask the state how to apply. If care is not covered, ask about Maryland private-pay options or New Jersey rates. Cottage can explain its nonmedical care options and help you plan intake questions. The state or health plan, not Cottage, decides Medicaid coverage.
Common Questions
Are all home care hours free?+
No. Only covered services and hours are paid under an approved plan.
Can I pick a family caregiver?+
Some plans let an eligible relative help for pay, but worker rules must be met.
Does Medicare pay for daily personal care?+
Not when that is the only service your relative needs.
How to Ask for Help: Two Simple Steps
For You and Your Family
Talk about real tasks. For example, say if your father needs help getting out of bed. Or say if your mother cannot bathe alone. These details help the state or health plan learn what care may be needed.
Follow these two steps:
- Ask the right program. In Maryland, call Maryland Access Point. In New Jersey, ask the NJ FamilyCare health plan for a PCA review.
- Ask about agency care. Tell Cottage what help is needed, what coverage your relative has, and where they live. Ask what to prepare for intake.
Who to Contact First
- Maryland Access Point: 844-627-5465 for state home-care program guidance.
- Cottage Maryland: (667) 400-0648 for agency services and intake questions.
- New Jersey: Ask your NJ FamilyCare plan about benefits. Call Cottage NJ at (201) 633-8481 about local care.
You can ask the state or health plan about benefits first. You do not need to choose an agency. Want to learn what Cottage may offer after care is approved? Tell our team your relative's care needs and location.
Can a Family Member Be a Paid Caregiver?
Some programs let an eligible family member provide paid care, but this is not automatic. The person who needs care must qualify, and the worker must meet the rules. The amount paid depends on the care arrangement, the approved hours, and current worker terms.
A paid family caregiver role is not the same as an agency job. Want an agency job? See Cottage's Maryland caregiver jobs for current roles and pay details.
Questions to Ask Before You Choose an Agency
Ask if the agency serves your area and offers the help named in your care plan. Ask how caregivers are screened and trained. Ask whom to call if a visit changes. In Maryland, the Office of Health Care Quality oversees Residential Service Agencies.
Ask who will help collect intake records and what happens when needs change. Also ask how a caregiver can report a safety concern. The state or health plan must approve changes to covered tasks or hours.
A call to Cottage can help you sort out practical care questions. We can discuss your relative's needs and local care options. We can explain which tasks our caregivers can do. We cannot promise Medicaid approval, free hours, or a set care start date.
For more on local care, see our Maryland services or New Jersey services. Our team can explain its intake steps while you keep access to the official application routes.
For Caregivers Seeking Work
If you want a job as a caregiver, visit the Maryland careers page. Job listings show current roles and available details. Ask about pay, schedules, training, and benefits for the role you want. We do not promise a job or a set wage before hiring review.
New Jersey applicants can ask the New Jersey team about current openings and how to apply.
What to Do Next
The best first step is to match your relative's daily needs to the right care option. Think about bathing, dressing, meals, and safe movement. Then check which help the state or health plan may cover.
Cottage can talk with your family about nonmedical support and care visits. We can explain our intake steps and which details to have ready. Official program staff still make coverage and approval decisions.
Before you call, note three things: the tasks that need help, the hardest days, and your relative's health plan. This can make your first talk more useful.
Helpful Care Guides and Official Resources
Sabine DurgaramDPS/RN
