Can I get paid to care for my spouse in Vermont?
Yes — Vermont lets a spouse be paid.
Vermont 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 Vermont 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 Vermont pays family caregivers
$15.49–$18/hr
Your exact pay is set by the program and your care plan. We'll tell you your real number before you enroll.
Source: Vermont Medicaid program data · Updated September 2026
What Vermont's rule actually says
yes — relatives including an adult child or spouse can be hired in the Highest Needs group / Flexible Choices; spouses are NOT payable in the Moderate Needs group; legal guardians excluded
The programs this runs through in Vermont: Choices for Care (self-directed), Flexible Choices. Who runs them: Vermont Dept. of Disabilities, Aging & Independent Living (DAIL); Senior HelpLine 800-642-5119; ESD Benefits Service Center 800-479-6151 (financial eligibility)
147,600 people in Vermont 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 Vermont
Submit a Vermont Long-Term Care Medicaid application (DAIL does the clinical assessment, ESD at 800-479-6151 the financial eligibility); the Senior HelpLine at 800-642-5119 can help start the process.
self-directed — participant or surrogate is the employer; ARIS Solutions serves as the fiscal intermediary handling payroll, taxes, and background checks
See if you qualify →Spouse questions in Vermont, answered
Can I get paid to care for my husband or wife in Vermont?
Yes. Vermont allows it. The published rule: yes — relatives including an adult child or spouse can be hired in the Highest Needs group / Flexible Choices; spouses are NOT payable in the Moderate Needs group; legal guardians excluded
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 Vermont?
Reported pay in Vermont runs around $15.49–$18/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 Vermont 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 Vermont?
Highest Needs applicants are prioritized; HCBS slots may be limited and a waitlist can form when full (Moderate Needs is capped)
How do we start?
Submit a Vermont Long-Term Care Medicaid application (DAIL does the clinical assessment, ESD at 800-479-6151 the financial eligibility); the Senior HelpLine at 800-642-5119 can help start the process.
Sources: medicaidplanningassistance.org · arissolutions.org · medicaidplanningassistance.org · Updated September 2026. Rules change — always confirm with the program.
Where most Vermont caregivers are
Counties with the most residents aged 65 and older. The rules are the same everywhere in Vermont — pick yours for the local picture.
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