Home Care in Idaho

According to the 2021 Genworth Cost of Care Survey, Idaho’s in-home care services and home health care have a median cost of $5,434 per month. Where you live in the state, what programs you qualify for and the type of care you require may affect how much you pay.

In-home care services don’t include medical treatment but may consist of helping with tasks such as walking, getting dressed, cooking, cleaning, taking medications and transportation. Home health care requires the supervision of a licensed nurse or nurse practitioner and addresses medical needs in addition to personal care tasks.

Compared with its neighbors, Idaho is one of the cheapest places to obtain home health care services, but it still costs more than the monthly national average of $4,957 for in-home care and $5,148 for home health care. Montana is slightly less expensive at $5,339 per month for both services, but the monthly care cost in Wyoming is $5,529 for both care types, and $5,625 for in-home care and $5,720 for home health care in Utah. Washington is much more expensive, with care costing up to $6,547 per month for in-home care and $6,578 per month for home health care.

There are different levels of skilled nursing care and companion care available. An assisted living facility is less expensive than home health care and might cost $3,838 per month while adult day care services run about $2,167 per month. Living in a nursing home facility would cost $8,517 per month. Most people who choose to receive home health care and in-home services wish to avoid being cut off from the community and want more freedom over their lives.

Medicaid is a program run jointly by the federal government and individual states to provide aid for those who can’t afford their medical care. Idaho’s program covers the medical costs associated with home health care, but it doesn’t pay for companion care, personal care and other essential services. The good news is Idaho has two waivers available that can pay for some or all of your expenses if you require home care.

The Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS) program helps residents who wish to receive skilled nursing services in their own homes, while the Medicare Medicaid Coordinated Plan allows those who qualify to combine their benefits into one easy-to-use benefit system.

HCBS Waivers

If you qualify for Medicaid, you can apply for an HCBS waiver, which may cover physical rehabilitation service costs, home health care services, adult day care, respite care and case management. To qualify, you must be over age 65, prove that you require a nursing level of care and meet Medicaid’s income requirements.

For more information or to fill out an application, you can call (877) 456-1233.

Medicare Medicaid Coordinated Plan

If you’re eligible for Medicare and Medicaid, you can enroll in this program to manage your benefits and health care in one place. The plan covers emergency care, routine medical care, home health care, companion care, prescription medication, dental and vision. If you qualify for this waiver, it also covers your Medicare premiums. You can choose from two different health plans, which private insurance companies in Idaho administer.

To enroll, you can call Blue Cross of Idaho at (888) 495-2583 or Molina Healthcare of Idaho at (866) 403-8293.

To qualify for Medicaid, you must prove that you’re unable to pay for insurance coverage on your own by showing your income is under the Medicaid threshold and that you don’t have any sellable assets. In Idaho, a single applicant’s income limit is $30,516 per year, and their asset limit is $2,000. Married couples who are both applying must earn no more than $61,032 per year and have less than $3,000 in assets. If only one spouse is applying, their income limit is $30,516 per year. The applicant’s asset limit is $2,000, while the non-applicant’s limit is $137,400.

You can apply for Medicaid online by visiting the Idaho Medicaid website or calling (877) 456-1233. To make it easier to fill out your application, you should prepare the documents that Medicaid will request during the application process.

What Information You Will Need

To qualify for Medicaid, you must present:

• Birth certificate
• Social Security card or green card
• State-issued identification or a passport
• Income and bank statements
• Insurance information
• Medical history

How to Get Help Applying for Medicaid

If you don’t fill out your application accurately or forget to include an important document, it could make it more difficult to receive your benefits. The process can be time-consuming and frustrating, so there are organizations you can reach out to for assistance.

Medicare doesn’t pay for non-medical home care, but it can cover the cost of the medical version of home care, called “Home Healthcare” in some situations. In order to be eligible, you need to be homebound and have a referral from your doctor for the specific type of medical care that is needed. There are also other restrictions that apply.

Below is an overview of some of the services typically covered by Medicare for those who are eligible:

• Physical Therapy: Physical therapy is used to help patients recover from injuries (broken bones, knee injuries, etc.), and to treat ongoing conditions such as arthritis. Additionally, physical therapy is often provided in the home to help seniors recover from surgeries and procedures, such as a knee or hip replacement.
• Nursing Care: Licensed nurses can provide a number of medical services (such as wound care, changing feeding tubes, etc.) for those who need medical care, but don’t need to stay in a hospital full-time.
• Occupational Therapy: Occupational therapy is designed to help seniors regain or maintain the ability to accomplish normal, daily tasks, such as bathing, dressing, eating, etc., and providers can travel to your home if needed.
• Speech Therapy: Seniors can lose the ability to adequately communicate for many reasons, and speech therapists are there to help seniors regain the ability to communicate using a variety of means. Additionally, speech therapists help to keep seniors independent by modifying diets and teaching special techniques to swallow safely.

As mentioned above, home care is distinctly different from home healthcare, but there is some overlap – so while Medicare doesn’t cover non-medical home care, there are personal care services that may be covered in special circumstances – such as an occupational therapist helping with eating or dressing.

Read our guide to Medicare and Home Care Coverage for more information.

While the above programs can be a great way to make home care affordable for many people, they are not the right solution for everyone. Thankfully, there are other ways to make home care more affordable for you and your family. For more information about your other options, read our section on Other Ways to Pay for this guide.

If you’ve chosen to age in place, you should take full advantage of the programs available to keep you active and involved in your community. These organizations offer educational materials, support, events and material aid to seniors across the state.

Idaho currently requires health care workers to take precautions against the spread of COVID-19. All health care workers must complete their full vaccination by March 15, 2022, and follow appropriate testing protocols and quarantine measures. Individual home care agencies may take extra steps to protect you while receiving care. These additional precautions may include the use of masks and other personal protection equipment (PPE), social distancing when appropriate and testing for the virus regularly. Be sure to ask what your home health care agency is doing to protect you and your loved ones.

This information is current as of April 2022. However, these regulations may change as the pandemic continues, so it’s important to check with your state’s health department for current information.

The Board of Health and Welfare enforces rules for how home health care agencies must conduct themselves, including how they treat employees and patients. Home care agencies must comply with federal and state regulations concerning hiring and training practices, the delivery of care and communication with doctors, patients and their families.

Whether you are looking for yourself or a loved one, finding a quality home care provider can be a stressful process. To help you overcome this challenge, we’ve created a helpful checklist below that can help guide you through the process of both determining your needs, and finding a home care agency that will be the best fit for you and your family.

Download PDF Here

Learn More About Home Care in Idaho’s Top Cities

• Boise
• Meridian