Paying for Home Care in Maine

Private Pay

Many families pay for care directly, out of pocket. Private pay doesn't require an approval process, and it gives you the most control over your schedule and the services you receive. To understand what private pay would cost for your situation, the best next step is a free in-home consultation.

MaineCare / Medicaid

MaineCare, Maine's Medicaid program, may cover certain in-home supports for people who meet the financial and care-related eligibility requirements. Eligibility isn't automatic. It's determined through Maine's own assessment and application process, which looks at both your finances and your care needs.

Silver Linings Agency currently accepts MaineCare. That said, accepting MaineCare doesn't mean every applicant or every MaineCare program will qualify for our services. Approval depends on the specific program and your individual assessment. A good next step is often to start the MaineCare application or assessment process through the state while talking with us, so both move forward together.

For eligibility details and how to apply, the Maine Department of Health and Human Services maintains two useful pages: home care programs through the Office of Aging and Disability Services and the Office of MaineCare Services.

Long-Term Care Insurance

Some long-term care insurance policies reimburse for non-medical home care, but coverage varies by policy. Before assuming a policy will or won't help, it's worth calling the insurer or reading the policy to check:

• Whether non-medical, in-home personal care is a covered benefit
• Any waiting period before benefits begin
• Daily or monthly benefit limits
• Any conditions you have to meet to qualify
• What documentation the insurer requires, such as a physician's statement or a plan of care

We're glad to provide whatever documentation your insurer asks for on our end, such as records of care provided.

Veterans Benefits

Some veterans and surviving spouses have access to benefits that can help pay for home care. The VA's Aid and Attendance benefit, for example, is a monthly pension add-on paid directly to the veteran or survivor, so it can be put toward in-home care. Eligibility depends on your specific service history, income, and care needs, so we'd point you to the VA's own page rather than guess at your situation: VA Aid and Attendance and Housebound benefits.

Does Medicare Cover Home Care?

This is one of the most common points of confusion. Medicare generally does not pay for ongoing, non-medical home care simply because someone needs help with daily activities like bathing, dressing, or meal preparation. That kind of custodial care, the kind Silver Linings Agency provides, is different from what Medicare calls "home health care."

Medicare-covered home health is a specific, physician-ordered benefit for skilled needs, like nursing visits or physical therapy after an illness, injury, or surgery. It's typically part-time and time-limited, and it doesn't include long-term, day-to-day personal care. If your loved one is already receiving Medicare home health services, our care can often work alongside it rather than replace it. For the specifics of what Medicare does and doesn't cover, see Medicare's official home health services coverage page.