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Medicaid home care for seniors in Illinois

How people 60 and older get help at home through the state’s Community Care Program.

Get care started
At a glanceIllinois Department on Aging
Reviewed Oct 2026
  • Age60 or older
  • NeedHelp with daily tasks
  • Savings$17,500 or less
  • Medicaid income$1,330 a month (one person, 2026)
  • Start(800) 252-8966
SourcesHow to start

Who it’s for

Older adults who need help with daily tasks to keep living at home.

  • 60 or older.
  • Enough need on the state’s assessment of daily tasks (a score of 29 or more).
  • $17,500 or less in savings. Your home, car and belongings don’t count.
  • An Illinois resident and a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen.
  • Willing to apply for Medicaid. Help can start while the application is pending.

Under 60 with a disability? See the Home Services Program guide.

A caregiver serving a meal to an older man at his table

How to start

The state’s Senior HelpLine is the front door.

  1. Call the Senior HelpLine

    (800) 252-8966, Monday to Friday, 8:30 to 5. They connect you with your local care coordination office.

    Day one

  2. A visit at home

    A care coordinator asks what help you need and checks your income and savings.

    Home visit

  3. A written answer

    You get a written notice within 15 days of the decision. If you qualify, it comes with a plan and your hours.

    Within 15 days

  4. Care starts

    An approved agency sends a homecare aide for the hours in your plan.

    Care begins

Good to know

The questions families ask most.

What it coversHelp at home and a few extras.
  • Cleaning, meals, laundry, shopping and errands
  • Bathing, dressing and grooming
  • An emergency response button
  • Adult day service
  • An automatic medication dispenser
If you have a Medicaid health planCall your care coordinator first.

Ask your plan’s care coordinator about help at home. In Cook County in 2026 the plans are Aetna Better Health, Blue Cross Community Health Plans, CountyCare, Meridian and Molina. Humana joins in 2027.

If you call the HelpLine instead, give them your plan name and member ID.

What it costs youNo monthly share of cost today.

Current rules have no monthly charge. If your income is over the Medicaid limit, you may have a spend-down. Hours beyond your plan are yours to pay.

Can family be paid?Only through an agency.

You can’t hire your own worker in this program. An approved agency can hire a relative as its homecare aide, and a spouse in limited cases.

Every route, side by side: Paid family caregiver guide.

Applying for MedicaidOnline, or by phone.

Apply at abe.illinois.gov or call (800) 843-6154. In 2026 the limit for people 65 and older, blind or disabled is $1,330 a month for one person and $1,803 for two, with $17,500 in savings. A spouse at home can keep more.

Medicaid changes in 2027Most seniors aren’t affected.

New work rules and six-month renewals apply to adults 19 to 64 who aren’t on Medicare. People 65 and older, and people on Medicaid because of a disability, generally aren’t affected. What’s changing

Where VitalTouch fits

We can’t bill Medicaid or the Community Care Program yet. We’ll still help you get started.

  • We help you applyWe’ll walk you through the call and what to have ready.
  • Care while you waitIf you need help now, start with another way to pay and switch later.
  • We point you the right wayIf an approved agency is the better fit, we’ll tell you how to find one.
What we can do todayVitalTouch, Oct 2026
Honest answer
  • Help you apply
  • Care while your application is pending
  • Long-term care insurance, VA benefits, or paying on your own
  • Bill Medicaid (not yet)
(708) 726-4536Free coverage check

Other ways to pay

Sources

General information, not legal or benefits advice. Rules change, and each program decides for itself. Last reviewed October 12, 2026.

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Tell us what you need. We’ll help with the next step.

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