What family caregivers are paid in Louisiana
Around $1,800/month. Your pay is not a posted wage — it comes out of a care budget Louisiana sets from your relative's assessed needs, which is why two caregivers on the same street can be paid differently.
Louisiana at a glance
- Reported pay
- $1,800/month
- Programs
- 3
- Spouse pay
- Yes
- Waitlist
- None
set inside the care plan
that can pay a relative
full rule on the spouse page
apply early either way
- 50 + DC
- states covered
- 3,144
- counties with local data
- $0
- it is always free to apply
- 2 min
- to see if you qualify
Population figures from the U.S. Census Bureau · Rules from each state's published Medicaid program
What Louisiana pays family caregivers
$1,800/month
Your exact pay is set by the program and your care plan. We'll tell you your real number before you enroll.
Source: Louisiana Medicaid program data · Updated September 2026
What sets your number
MIHC runs through an enrolled MIHC provider agency (care manager + nurse support, agency pays the stipend); consumer-directed option uses a financial management services agency for payroll
- Spouse can be paid?
- Yes
- Parent paid for a child?
- Sometimes
- Waitlist
- No waitlist.
Where the money comes from
This is Medicaid money, not a grant and not a charity. In Louisiana it runs through Community Choices Waiver, Monitored In-Home Caregiving (MIHC), Children's Choice Waiver, administered by Louisiana Dept. of Health — Office of Aging and Adult Services (OAAS); Louisiana Options in Long Term Care 877-456-1146
814,500 people in Louisiana — 18% of the state — are 65 or older, spread across 64 counties. The programs on this page exist because caring for them at home costs the state far less than a nursing home does.
From first call to first paycheck
- 2 minutes
Check eligibility
Five questions tell you which Louisiana program fits, and roughly what it pays.
- usually weeks
Medicaid + care assessment
Louisiana confirms your relative qualifies and how much help they need. The hours in that assessment become your paid hours.
- after approval
Enrol and hire
Your relative enrols, then names you as their caregiver. Background check, paperwork, done.
- every pay period
Get paid
You log the hours you already work and are paid for them, like any job.
How to start in Louisiana: Call Louisiana Options in Long Term Care at 877-456-1146 to request CCW services and be placed on the registry; OAAS handles level-of-care screening.
Louisiana pay questions, answered honestly
How much do family caregivers get paid in Louisiana?
Figures reported for Louisiana land around $1,800/month, but that is a range, not a promise. Your rate is set inside your relative's care plan and budget. We tell you your real number before you enroll.
What decides my exact hourly rate?
Three things: how much help your relative is assessed as needing, which Louisiana program they are on, and who administers the payroll. MIHC runs through an enrolled MIHC provider agency (care manager + nurse support, agency pays the stipend); consumer-directed option uses a financial management services agency for payroll
How many hours a week can I be paid for?
Hours come from the care assessment, not from how many you actually work. That is the single biggest thing families get wrong — an honest assessment is worth more than any negotiation later. We help you prepare for it.
Is family caregiver pay taxable?
Usually yes — it is normally treated as wages, with taxes withheld. One exception is worth asking about: the IRS difficulty-of-care rule can make some payments tax-free when the caregiver lives with the person receiving care.
Can I be paid to care for my spouse in Louisiana?
yes — MIHC allows a live-in spouse or adult child as the paid caregiver There is a full page on this: see spousal caregiver pay in Louisiana.
Can a parent be paid for caring for their own child in Louisiana?
limited — not under CCW (serves adults 65+ or 21+ with disabilities); parents of minors payable under Children's Choice/New Opportunities DD waivers, 40 hrs/wk cap, cannot also be the employer/representative
Is there a waitlist in Louisiana?
not an entitlement — waitlist via the CCW Request for Services Registry when slots are full
How do I apply in Louisiana?
Call Louisiana Options in Long Term Care at 877-456-1146 to request CCW services and be placed on the registry; OAAS handles level-of-care screening.
Married and caring for your husband or wife? Read the spouse rules for Louisiana →
Sources: medicaidplanningassistance.org · ldh.la.gov · law.cornell.edu · Population figures from the U.S. Census Bureau · Updated September 2026. Rates change — always confirm with the program.
Guides
For Louisiana families
Start with the Louisiana caregiver program, then read how the pieces fit together.
Where most Louisiana caregivers are
Counties with the most residents aged 65 and older. The rules are the same everywhere in Louisiana — pick yours for the local picture.
Find out in 2 minutes
Answer 5 easy questions. See your programs and pay before you share any contact info.