Can a spouse be paid to care for a spouse in Michigan?

The short answerNo. Under Michigan's Home Help policy, a spouse caring for a spouse cannot be paid. That is true even if the spouse provides all of the care. Other relatives, including adult children, can be paid if the person receiving care qualifies.

The rule

State policy (ASM 135) says a spouse caring for a spouse is not paid. A spouse who is married but living apart still cannot be paid, and the caseworker will ask for proof of a separate residence in that situation. A parent caring for a minor child cannot be paid either. A parent caring for an adult child can be.

Why the rule exists

The State treats a spouse (and the parent of a minor child) as a "responsible relative," someone with an existing duty to provide care. For Home Help to approve services, State policy says a responsible relative must be unable or unavailable to provide that care. So a married person with a healthy, available spouse may be approved for fewer services than a single person with the same needs, and the caseworker decides how this applies.

What a married couple can still do

• Have another caregiver paid. If the person qualifies for Home Help, an adult child, another relative, a friend or an agency caregiver can be the paid caregiver while the spouse continues to help unpaid.
• Tell the caseworker the truth about the spouse's situation. If the spouse is unable to provide care, for example because of their own health, say so and explain. That affects what the State approves.
• Ask about other programs. Other Medicaid programs and veterans' benefits have their own rules about spouses. Ask your county office, your Area Agency on Aging or an elder-law attorney.

What does not change

Being married does not stop the other person from qualifying. The State still looks at what the person needs help with and decides on the same 1 to 5 scale used for everyone. See who qualifies and how to apply.

If a relative other than a spouse wants to be paid

They have to meet the caregiver requirements: 18 or older, a criminal history check, State enrollment and an in-person interview. The steps are in How to become the paid caregiver for a family member in Michigan.

This is general information, not legal or benefits advice. How the spouse rule applies to your household is the caseworker's decision, and policy changes. Confirm with your county MDHHS office.