Is MDHHS Home Help the Same as Medicare Home Health?

"My mom already has home health coming to check on her — isn't that the same thing?" We hear a version of this question often, and the honest answer is no — Medicare home health and MDHHS Home Help are different programs, funded through different sources, covering fundamentally different kinds of support.

Medicare home health: medical, short-term, skilled

Medicare home health covers skilled medical services — nursing visits, physical therapy, wound care — typically prescribed after a hospitalization or for a specific medical need, delivered by licensed clinical staff. It's generally short-term and tied to a documented medical necessity, not an ongoing daily-living support arrangement.

MDHHS Home Help: non-medical, ongoing, personal care

Home Help, by contrast, is a Medicaid-funded benefit that covers non-medical personal care and household support — bathing, dressing, meal prep, transportation, medication reminders — on an ongoing basis for people who need daily help but aren't necessarily under active medical treatment. It's not administered by licensed nurses, and it doesn't require a hospitalization or medical prescription to access.

Why the confusion happens

Both involve someone coming to the home to help. Both have "home" in the name. And many families first encounter one or the other during a hospital discharge planning conversation, where the distinction isn't always explained clearly. That's a genuine gap — hospital discharge planners are focused on the immediate medical need, not necessarily the longer-term Home Help option.

How to know which one applies to you

If your loved one needs ongoing help with daily activities — not a specific medical treatment — Home Help is likely the more relevant program, and it's what CarePay Michigan's guides cover. See our eligibility requirements or reach out for a free consultation to talk through your specific situation.