You help Mom get dressed in the morning. You prepare meals. You help your husband get around the house safely. You rearrange your work schedule to care for your child with a disability.
You don’t necessarily think of yourself as a “caregiver.”
You’re just taking care of someone you love.
But for some Nebraska families, the care they are already providing may qualify as a paid caregiving service through Medicaid.
It’s an option many families don’t realize exists—and it’s worth understanding.
Can Family Members Get Paid as Caregivers in Nebraska?
Yes, in certain circumstances.
Nebraska Medicaid has several pathways under which qualified family members may provide paid care. Which option applies depends on factors including the Medicaid program, the individual’s needs, the caregiver’s relationship to the participant and the services that have been authorized.
For participants on Nebraska’s Aged and Disabled Waiver, relatives may provide several types of approved services when requirements are met. Nebraska DHHS defines a relative broadly for purposes of the AD Waiver and identifies which waiver services may be provided by relatives, legal guardians and Legally Responsible Individuals.
There’s also an important newer option called LRI Personal Care.
What Is LRI Personal Care?
LRI stands for Legally Responsible Individual.
Under Nebraska’s AD Waiver, an LRI is a spouse or the natural or adoptive parent of a minor child. LRI Personal Care allows qualifying individuals in those relationships to provide certain approved care to an eligible waiver participant.
That distinction matters.
Historically, people sometimes heard that family members could be paid caregivers but then discovered that the rules were different for a spouse or a parent caring for their minor child. LRI Personal Care provides a specific service for these legally responsible caregivers when the program’s requirements are met.
Nebraska’s current AD Waiver includes LRI Personal Care as a service, and DHHS describes it as assistance with activities of daily living and health-related tasks, with some instrumental activities of daily living potentially included depending on the participant’s needs.
Does That Mean Every Spouse or Parent Can Get Paid?
No.
This is where it’s important not to oversimplify the program into “Nebraska will pay you to take care of your family member.”
The participant must qualify for the appropriate Medicaid program and services. The need for care must be assessed, the services must be authorized, and the caregiver must meet applicable provider requirements.
The purpose isn’t simply to pay someone for everything a spouse or parent would ordinarily do. The program looks at the participant’s needs and the care required because of those needs.
That makes every situation a little different.
What About Other Family Members?
There are opportunities beyond LRI Personal Care.
Under Nebraska’s AD Waiver, qualifying relatives who are not legally responsible for the participant may be able to provide services such as Personal Care, Companion, Respite and certain other waiver services, depending on the program’s rules and the participant’s approved plan.
Nebraska’s regular Medicaid Personal Assistance Services program also allows a qualified family member to serve as a paid provider as long as that person is not legally responsible for the participant.
That’s why two families who appear to have similar situations may actually have different options.
Why Would a Family Choose This?
For many families, caregiving is already happening.
A daughter may already be helping her father with daily activities. A spouse may have adjusted work hours because their partner can no longer safely complete certain tasks independently. Parents of a child with a disability may organize much of their daily lives around providing necessary care.
When an eligible family member can become the paid caregiver, it may allow the person receiving care to be supported by someone they already know and trust.
It can also recognize the very real time and responsibility involved in providing ongoing care.
And for some families, that can make a meaningful difference.
How Do I Know If My Family Qualifies?
Start by looking at the person who needs care.
For Nebraska’s Aged and Disabled Waiver, an individual must have Nebraska Medicaid, be over 65 or have a qualifying disability, meet Nursing Facility Level of Care requirements, and have a need for waiver services. DHHS completes an assessment as part of determining eligibility.
If the person qualifies for the waiver, their assessed needs and person-centered plan help determine what services can be authorized and who may provide them.
If the family caregiver will provide services through an agency, there are also employment and provider requirements that must be completed before paid caregiving can begin.
What Does AmanaCare Do?
AmanaCare works with Nebraska families receiving Medicaid-funded in-home services, including families interested in providing care for their own loved ones.
Our role is to help families understand what working through AmanaCare looks like, complete the appropriate onboarding requirements when applicable, and support caregivers once they’re part of the AmanaCare team.
We know the terminology can sound intimidating at first:
AD Waiver. LRI. Personal Care. Service Coordinator. Level of Care. Person-centered plan.
You don’t have to become a Medicaid expert before making the first phone call.
That’s what conversations are for.
For Omaha Families, Start by Asking
If you’re already caring for someone you love in Omaha and wondering whether you could get paid to care for a family member in Nebraska, it’s worth exploring.
You may discover that LRI Personal Care applies to your situation. Another family-caregiver option may be appropriate. Or you may learn that a different type of home care support would better meet your loved one’s needs.
The important thing is not to assume you don’t qualify simply because no one has ever told you about the option.
You already provide the care. Let’s find out what resources may be available to support you.
Contact AmanaCare’s Omaha team to learn more about paid family caregiving, LRI Personal Care and Nebraska Medicaid home care.
Program eligibility, caregiver eligibility, authorized services and payment are determined according to Nebraska Medicaid and DHHS requirements. Contacting or applying with AmanaCare does not guarantee eligibility, employment, service authorization or payment.
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