How much do family caregivers get paid in Louisiana?
Around $1,800/month — and here is what moves that number.
Your pay is not a posted wage. It comes out of a care budget that Louisiana sets from your relative's assessed needs, which is why two caregivers in the same town can be paid differently.
What Louisiana pays family caregivers
$1,800/month
Your exact pay is set by the program and your care plan. We'll tell you your real number before you enroll.
Source: Louisiana Medicaid program data · Updated September 2026
What sets your number
MIHC runs through an enrolled MIHC provider agency (care manager + nurse support, agency pays the stipend); consumer-directed option uses a financial management services agency for payroll
- Spouse can be paid?
- Yes
- Parent paid for a child?
- Sometimes
- Waitlist
- No waitlist.
Where the money comes from
This is Medicaid money, not a grant and not a charity. In Louisiana it runs through Community Choices Waiver, Monitored In-Home Caregiving (MIHC), Children's Choice Waiver, administered by Louisiana Dept. of Health — Office of Aging and Adult Services (OAAS); Louisiana Options in Long Term Care 877-456-1146
814,500 people in Louisiana — 18% of the state — are 65 or older, spread across 64 counties. The programs on this page exist because caring for them at home costs the state far less than a nursing home does.
From first call to first paycheck
- 2 minutes
Check eligibility
Five questions tell you which Louisiana program fits, and roughly what it pays.
- usually weeks
Medicaid + care assessment
Louisiana confirms your relative qualifies and how much help they need. The hours in that assessment become your paid hours.
- after approval
Enrol and hire
Your relative enrols, then names you as their caregiver. Background check, paperwork, done.
- every pay period
Get paid
You log the hours you already work and are paid for them, like any job.
How to start in Louisiana: Call Louisiana Options in Long Term Care at 877-456-1146 to request CCW services and be placed on the registry; OAAS handles level-of-care screening.
Louisiana pay questions, answered honestly
How much do family caregivers get paid in Louisiana?
Figures reported for Louisiana land around $1,800/month, but that is a range, not a promise. Your rate is set inside your relative's care plan and budget. We tell you your real number before you enroll.
What decides my exact hourly rate?
Three things: how much help your relative is assessed as needing, which Louisiana program they are on, and who administers the payroll. MIHC runs through an enrolled MIHC provider agency (care manager + nurse support, agency pays the stipend); consumer-directed option uses a financial management services agency for payroll
How many hours a week can I be paid for?
Hours come from the care assessment, not from how many you actually work. That is the single biggest thing families get wrong — an honest assessment is worth more than any negotiation later. We help you prepare for it.
Is family caregiver pay taxable?
Usually yes — it is normally treated as wages, with taxes withheld. One exception is worth asking about: the IRS difficulty-of-care rule can make some payments tax-free when the caregiver lives with the person receiving care.
Can I be paid to care for my spouse in Louisiana?
yes — MIHC allows a live-in spouse or adult child as the paid caregiver There is a full page on this: see spousal caregiver pay in Louisiana.
Can a parent be paid for caring for their own child in Louisiana?
limited — not under CCW (serves adults 65+ or 21+ with disabilities); parents of minors payable under Children's Choice/New Opportunities DD waivers, 40 hrs/wk cap, cannot also be the employer/representative
Is there a waitlist in Louisiana?
not an entitlement — waitlist via the CCW Request for Services Registry when slots are full
How do I apply in Louisiana?
Call Louisiana Options in Long Term Care at 877-456-1146 to request CCW services and be placed on the registry; OAAS handles level-of-care screening.
Married and caring for your husband or wife? Read the spouse rules for Louisiana →
Sources: medicaidplanningassistance.org · ldh.la.gov · law.cornell.edu · Population figures from the U.S. Census Bureau · Updated September 2026. Rates change — always confirm with the program.
Where most Louisiana caregivers are
Counties with the most residents aged 65 and older. The rules are the same everywhere in Louisiana — pick yours for the local picture.
Find out in 2 minutes
Answer 5 easy questions. See your programs and pay before you share any contact info.