Michigan Home HelpbyCova Home Care

Michigan Home Help, explained simply.

The basics

What is the Michigan Home Help Program?

Home Help is a Medicaid program that can pay for in-home support so you can stay in your own home with the help you need.

Older adult receiving support at home
Coverage
01

What help it can cover

Home Help can pay for support with bathing, dressing, meals, moving safely at home, and household tasks connected to your care needs.

This can include personal care, mobility help, meal support, and care-related chores.

Care professional headshot
Administration
02

Who runs the program

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services administers the program, reviews eligibility, arranges the in-home assessment, and manages payments.

This is the part that handles approval, assessments, and payment details.

Older adult relaxing at home
Purpose
03

Why it matters

The goal is to help you stay safe and supported in your own home, close to your routine, your family, and the people you trust.

For many families, that means less disruption and more peace of mind.

Eligibility

Who can qualify?

Home Help always involves two people: the person getting care and the caregiver who provides it. These are general rules. MDHHS makes the final decision for each case.

For the person getting care

Basic requirements

Basic requirements

Most people who qualify meet all of the points below.

  • Lives in Michigan
  • Has active Michigan Medicaid or is working with MDHHS on Medicaid eligibility
  • Needs hands-on help with at least one daily activity such as bathing, dressing, toileting, eating, or moving around safely
  • Has an in-home assessment from an MDHHS Adult Services Worker that approves Home Help services

For the caregiver

Who can be paid

Who can be paid

Family, friends, and other helpers can often be paid if they meet these conditions.

  • 18 years or older
  • A relative, friend, neighbor, or worker who is not the person's spouse or the parent of a child under 18
  • Able to safely provide the approved hands-on care
  • Passes the required criminal background check
  • Completes provider enrollment in CHAMPS
  • Uses Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) to record visits if MDHHS requires it

Step by step

How the Home Help process works

Most families move through these five steps. Timing can vary, but it often takes several weeks from the first application to the first payment.

01

Check basics and Medicaid

Make sure the person getting care lives in Michigan, needs help with daily activities at home, and either has Michigan Medicaid or is applying for it.

If they are not on Medicaid yet, start the application online through MI Bridges (Michigan's benefits portal).

Step 1 of 5

About the agency

Home Help doesn't have to feel overwhelming. Cova handles it for you, for free.

For most families, Home Help means tracking forms, deadlines, and agency calls on their own. Cova is a Michigan Home Help specific agency. We manage the paperwork, track every requirement, and give you clear next steps at every stage of the process.

  • Walk you through eligibility and what Home Help can cover before you commit to anything.
  • Track CHAMPS enrollment, EVV logs, and MDHHS deadlines for your case automatically.
  • Match you with vetted caregivers and pay them more per hour than many Michigan agencies, because our lower admin costs mean more of the funding goes directly to them.

"Families shouldn't have to chase MDHHS deadlines or wonder if their caregiver's enrollment went through. We built Cova so you always know where things stand."

— The Cova team, Michigan

Coverage

What does the program pay for?

Home Help focuses on the hands-on support that helps someone stay safe at home. These are common examples of what is usually covered and what is not.

Home Help services

Typically covered

  • Bathing, grooming, and dressing
  • Help moving safely around the home and with transfers
  • Toileting and incontinence care
  • Meal preparation, clean up, and help with eating
  • Medication help such as setting up or giving medicines when your care plan allows it
  • Laundry and light housework related to your care needs
  • Shopping for essential items like groceries when approved in the care plan

Outside Home Help

Not usually covered

  • Heavy housework or deep cleaning
  • Home repairs or yard work
  • Supervision or check-in visits without hands-on care
  • Transportation or driving to errands and appointments
  • Companionship-only visits with no personal care
  • Full-time live-in or 24-hour care
  • Skilled nursing, therapy, or other medical procedures that must be done by licensed staff

FAQ

Common questions

Quick answers to questions Michigan families ask most often.

Get help with Home Help