The Pennsylvania caregiver program
Pennsylvania pays family members to care for a relative at home through Participant-directed services in Community HealthChoices. Here is what it is called, who can be paid, what it pays, and how to get in.
Pennsylvania at a glance
- Programs
- 3
- Reported pay
- $13–$19/hr
- Spouse paid?
- No
- Waitlist
- Varies
can pay a relative
set in the care plan
Who are you caring for in Pennsylvania?
Who do you care for?
- 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
Pennsylvania programs that pay family caregivers
This is Medicaid money — a real, ongoing benefit, not a grant or a one-off stipend. In Pennsylvania it runs through:
- Community HealthChoices (CHC)
- Services My Way
- OBRA Waiver
How it works: self-directed with a mandatory fiscal intermediary — Tempus Unlimited is the statewide FMS for CHC/Services My Way. The programs are administered by PA Department of Human Services, Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) — CHC Participant Hotline 1-833-735-4416.
Is there CDPAP or IHSS in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania has no CDPAP or IHSS by name. Family caregivers are paid through participant-directed services in Community HealthChoices and the OBRA waiver, where the participant is the employer and a financial management service runs payroll.
Whatever the name, the model is the same one people mean by consumer-directed care: the person who needs help chooses their caregiver, and that caregiver can be family. See how CDPAP and IHSS work if a relative in New York or California described theirs to you.
What Pennsylvania pays family caregivers
$13–$19/hr
Your exact pay is set by the program and your care plan. We'll tell you your real number before you enroll.
Source: Pennsylvania Medicaid program data · Updated September 2026
Who can be paid in Pennsylvania
- Adult child, grandchild, sibling, friend Yes
- Broadly allowed wherever the program lets the member choose their caregiver.
- Spouse Not right now
- no — spouses and legal guardians cannot be paid; other relatives incl. adult children and parents of adult (21+) disabled children can
- Parent of a minor child Not right now
- no for CHC (serves adults 21+); PA generally does not pay parents of minor children
How much does Pennsylvania pay a family caregiver?
Reported pay in Pennsylvania is around $13–$19/hr. negotiated per direct care worker, roughly $13-$19/hr reported, subject to county-band maximum rates on the Tempus PA rate sheet.
Your hours come from your relative's needs assessment, not from how many hours you actually work — which is why preparing for that assessment matters more than anything else. The detail is on the Pennsylvania caregiver pay page, and the national picture is in family caregiver pay rates by state.
Is there a waitlist in Pennsylvania?
Waitlist possible. limited enrollment slots (~181,848/yr); waitlist can form when full. Apply early either way — the Medicaid financial review and the care assessment take time even where there is no list.
Why Pennsylvania pays family instead of an agency
2.7 million people in Pennsylvania — 20% of the state — are 65 or older, across 67 counties. There are not enough agency home care workers for all of them, and care at home costs Medicaid far less than a nursing home. So the state pays the person already doing the work: you. If you would rather hire help, see what in-home care costs and home care agencies that hire family members.
How to become a paid caregiver for a family member in Pennsylvania
- 2 minutes
Check eligibility
Five questions show which Pennsylvania program fits your family and what it pays.
- usually weeks
Medicaid + needs assessment
Pennsylvania confirms Medicaid eligibility and assesses how much help your relative needs. Those hours become your paid hours.
- after approval
Enroll and name you
Your relative enrolls in Participant-directed services in Community HealthChoices and names you as their caregiver. Background check and payroll forms follow.
- every pay period
Get paid
You log the hours you already work and are paid for them, like any job.
Where to apply: Call the PA Independent Enrollment Broker at 1-877-550-4227 (or its online Community Referral Form) to start CHC eligibility; then choose participant-direction/Services My Way with your MCO service coordinator.
Find out in 2 minutes
Answer 5 easy questions. See your programs and pay before you share any contact info.
Pennsylvania caregiver program questions
What is the caregiver program in Pennsylvania called?
In Pennsylvania, family caregivers are paid through Community HealthChoices (CHC), Services My Way, OBRA Waiver. Pennsylvania has no CDPAP or IHSS by name. Family caregivers are paid through participant-directed services in Community HealthChoices and the OBRA waiver, where the participant is the employer and a financial management service runs payroll.
Does Pennsylvania have CDPAP or IHSS?
Pennsylvania has no CDPAP or IHSS by name. Family caregivers are paid through participant-directed services in Community HealthChoices and the OBRA waiver, where the participant is the employer and a financial management service runs payroll.
How much does Pennsylvania pay a family caregiver?
Reported pay is around $13–$19/hr. negotiated per direct care worker, roughly $13-$19/hr reported, subject to county-band maximum rates on the Tempus PA rate sheet.
Can I get paid to take care of my spouse in Pennsylvania?
no — spouses and legal guardians cannot be paid; other relatives incl. adult children and parents of adult (21+) disabled children can
Can a parent be paid to care for a disabled child in Pennsylvania?
no for CHC (serves adults 21+); PA generally does not pay parents of minor children
Is there a waitlist for the Pennsylvania caregiver program?
limited enrollment slots (~181,848/yr); waitlist can form when full
How do I apply to be a paid caregiver in Pennsylvania?
Call the PA Independent Enrollment Broker at 1-877-550-4227 (or its online Community Referral Form) to start CHC eligibility; then choose participant-direction/Services My Way with your MCO service coordinator.
Who runs the Pennsylvania Medicaid caregiver program?
PA Department of Human Services, Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) — CHC Participant Hotline 1-833-735-4416.
Sources: medicaidplanningassistance.org · pa.tempusunlimited.org · pa.tempusunlimited.org · Updated September 2026. Rules change — always confirm with the program.
Where most Pennsylvania caregivers are
Counties with the most residents aged 65 and older. The rules are the same everywhere in Pennsylvania — pick yours for the local picture.
Across the line
States that border Pennsylvania
Each state writes its own rules, and they differ more than people expect — a spouse who can be paid on one side of the line often cannot be on the other.