Medicaid home care in Delaware

Delaware Medicaid can pay for help at home through its long-term care program, Diamond State Health Plan Plus (DSHP Plus). That can include personal care, respite for family caregivers, and attendant care, so your loved one can stay in their own home instead of moving to a facility.

Reliable Aid works with DSHP Plus and all three Delaware Medicaid health plans: Highmark Health Options, AmeriHealth Caritas Delaware, and Delaware First Health.

What Medicaid can cover at home

These are the kinds of home care services the program can pay for:

• Personal care: help with bathing, dressing, grooming, meals, and moving around the house
• Respite care: a caregiver stays with your loved one so the family can rest or get away
• Attendant care: help from an approved caregiver, who in some cases can be a family member. See getting paid as a family caregiver

Who qualifies

DSHP Plus is for Delaware residents who are elderly or have a physical disability and need regular help with daily tasks. Two things are reviewed:

• Care needs. A nurse from Delaware Medicaid looks at how much help your loved one needs with daily activities.
• Finances. The state reviews income and savings. The current limits are on the state's income limits page.

How to get started

1. Ask about options. Call the Delaware Aging and Disability Resource Center at 1-800-223-9074.
2. Apply. Contact Delaware Medicaid Central Intake at 1-866-940-8963, or apply online through Delaware ASSIST.
3. Get approved. Your loved one's health plan approves the hours of care, and a case manager helps arrange services.
4. Start care with Reliable Aid. Tell your case manager you'd like to work with us, or call us with your plan name and we'll take it from there.

Already approved? Call us at (302) 689-3240 and we can talk about starting care.

Questions families ask

Will Medicaid pay for a caregiver at home?

Yes, for people who qualify for Delaware Medicaid long-term care. The health plan approves the hours, and an agency like Reliable Aid provides the caregiver.

My parent has a Medicaid card. Is that enough?

Not by itself. The regular Medicaid plan covers doctor visits and hospital care. Help at home comes through the long-term care program, so ask the case manager whether home care has been approved.

Which Medicaid plans do you work with?

All three: Highmark Health Options, AmeriHealth Caritas Delaware, and Delaware First Health.

Can a family member be the paid caregiver?

Often, yes. See how to get paid to care for a family member.

What should we have ready when we call?

Your loved one's town, the help they need, and their Medicaid plan name if they have one. You don't need every document for the first call.

Can we switch to Reliable Aid from another agency?

Yes. If your loved one already has approved home care hours with another agency, you can switch to us. Call and we'll help you work with your case manager to make the change.

Do you help with the Medicaid application?

Yes. You file the application yourself, but you won't be doing it alone. We help you get connected with your caseworker and case manager, gather and submit your documents, and keep following up with them so nothing stalls.

Do you take private pay?

Yes. If your loved one doesn't qualify for Medicaid, or you want more hours than the plan covers, we also work with private-pay families. Call for details.