Can I get paid to care for my spouse in Kansas?
Yes — Kansas lets a spouse be paid.
Kansas is one of the states where the person who needs care can hire their own husband or wife and have the program pay for it. You do the caring you are already doing. The state pays you for it.
What has to be true
- Your spouse lives in Kansas and needs long-term care help at home.
- Your spouse has Medicaid, or can qualify. We check that with you for free.
- You pass a background check. No license or certificate is needed.
- The care your spouse needs is written into their plan — that is what the hours are paid against.
What Kansas pays family caregivers
$13–$17/hr
Your exact pay is set by the program and your care plan. We'll tell you your real number before you enroll.
Source: Kansas Medicaid program data · Updated September 2026
What Kansas's rule actually says
yes — spouse can be hired under FE/PD self-directed attendant care
The programs this runs through in Kansas: Frail Elderly Waiver, Physical Disability Waiver, Brain Injury Waiver, Technology Assisted Waiver (children). Who runs them: Kansas Dept. for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS); KanCare Clearinghouse 800-792-4884, ADRC 855-200-2372
528,200 people in Kansas are 65 or older. Most of them are cared for at home, by a relative — usually without being paid for it.
How to start in Kansas
Apply for KanCare online (Self-Service Portal), by phone 800-792-4884, or paper, checking the HCBS box; ADRC (855-200-2372) arranges the functional assessment.
self-directed hire/train/fire, but a Financial Management Services (FMS) agency must handle payroll/taxes
See if you qualify →Spouse questions in Kansas, answered
Can I get paid to care for my husband or wife in Kansas?
Yes. Kansas allows it. The published rule: yes — spouse can be hired under FE/PD self-directed attendant care
Why do some states allow this and others don't?
Medicaid has long treated care between spouses as a family duty rather than paid work. Self-directed programs changed that in many states by making the person who needs care the employer — they choose their own worker, and in some states that can be a spouse. It is a state-by-state policy choice, not a federal rule.
How much would I earn in Kansas?
Reported pay in Kansas runs around $13–$17/hr, though your exact rate is set by the program and the care plan.
Does my spouse need Medicaid first?
Yes. These are Medicaid programs, so your spouse has to qualify for Kansas Medicaid and need long-term care help. Many families assume they earn too much and never apply. The rules for long-term care are not the same as regular Medicaid — check before you rule yourself out.
Is there a waitlist in Kansas?
FE Waiver: new waitlist for FE applicants effective July 6 2026; PD waitlist eliminated end of FY2025; BI at risk of first-time waitlist after 2025 budget cuts
How do we start?
Apply for KanCare online (Self-Service Portal), by phone 800-792-4884, or paper, checking the HCBS box; ADRC (855-200-2372) arranges the functional assessment.
Sources: medicaidplanningassistance.org · kdads.ks.gov · kidswaivers.org · Updated September 2026. Rules change — always confirm with the program.
Where most Kansas caregivers are
Counties with the most residents aged 65 and older. The rules are the same everywhere in Kansas — pick yours for the local picture.
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