Home Care in Kentucky

The cost of care varies greatly depending on the type of care, your location and the quality of care you receive. In-home care doesn’t include medical treatment, so it might cost less, while home health care requires the direction of medical staff, such as registered nurses, doctors and nurse practitioners. In-home care focuses on assisting seniors with day-to-day tasks, such as cooking, getting dressed, walking, taking regular medications and transportation.

According to the latest Genworth Cost of Care Study, Kentucky’s in-home care costs about $4,767 per month. The state offers the third-lowest cost of care when compared with its neighbors. Only West Virginia and Tennessee provide cheaper care.

The national median cost for in-home care is $4,957, and home health care costs about $5,148. While Kentucky is below the national average, it’s right about in the middle compared with its neighbors. Home health care costs about $400 per month less than the national average and almost $600 less per month than Illinois. Care in West Virginia is the cheapest at around $3,500 per month, while Indiana, Ohio and Tennessee have similar costs of care.

In Kentucky, in-home care and home health care cost is around $4,767 per month. Aging in place is more expensive than if you transition to an assisted living facility or use adult day care services. However, it’s still considerably less costly than nursing home care. For example, adult day care costs $1,690 per month, while an assisted living facility is $3,448 per month. Skilled nursing care in a nursing home may cost around $7,178.

Medicaid covers the cost of medical treatment and can be used to offset the cost of home health care to an extent, but this type of care isn’t covered directly. If you qualify for Medicaid in Kentucky, several waivers are available that can cover the full cost of home health care or in-home care services. The waivers include the Home- and Community-Based Waiver, Homecare Program, Hart-Supported Living Program and Personal Care Attendant Program.

Kentuckians who first qualify for Medicaid can apply for waivers to offset the cost of aging in place. Services you may be eligible for include in-home nursing care, medical treatment, medical transportation and transitioning into an assisted living facility.

Medicaid is a state and federally funded program for low-income residents who can’t pay for their healthcare services on their own. To qualify, you must meet the state’s income requirements, which are different depending on whether one person from the household is applying ($30,276 annually) or both people are applying ($60,552). It also limits your assets’ values. Single applicant’s asset limit is $2,000 while a couple can have double that amount.

You can apply for Medicaid online or by calling Member Services at (800) 635-2570. If you’d like to apply online, you can do so through the Kentucky Kynect website.

What Information You Will Need

• Valid form of identification such as a passport, state ID or driver’s license
• Your birth certificate or valid proof of birth
• Proof of income from all sources, including Social Security and retirement accounts
• Information on assets such as investment accounts
• Your insurance information

How to Get Help Applying for Medicaid

If you don’t fill out your application correctly, it could delay your ability to receive benefits. Medicaid applications can be confusing and frustrating to navigate. There are several organizations you can turn to for assistance to process your application quickly.

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’re trying to maintain your independence but still need long-term care, you can turn to local and regional organizations that offer guidance, educational resources, and counseling services. Many of these services are low-cost or free.

While many states are dropping vaccine mandates and public mask requirements, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) required COVID-19 vaccination for all Kentucky health care workers by March 15, 2022, unless exempt for medical reasons or religious beliefs. Individual health care providers may go above and beyond the state’s mandated requirements to protect their patients. Protective measures may include social distancing, masking and PPE and regular COVID-19 testing. These measures help prevent the virus spread among the senior population.

This information is current as of April 2022. As these requirements are constantly changing, it’s important to check with your health care providers and the CDC for updated guidelines.

The Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services controls and regulates rules for how home health providers may conduct business in the state. The state defines home health care as Provider Type 34 services, and these providers must be enrolled to receive Medicaid funding and licensed by the state of Kentucky.

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 Kentucky’s Top Cities

• Louisville