Adult children and other relatives can be paid to care for a parent or family member at home in Nebraska through Nebraska Medicaid. Nebraska Medicaid's Personal Assistance Services (PAS) benefit pays a provider to help a Medicaid member with daily activities such as bathing and dressing, and that provider can be a family member, including an adult child, who isn't legally responsible for the member., For Nebraska Personal Assistance Services, family caregiver pay starts with Nebraska Medicaid, and a parent who doesn't have it yet can apply by phone through ACCESSNebraska.

In This Guide

What Nebraska Personal Assistance Services Covers

Nebraska Personal Assistance Services is help with activities of daily living, such as bathing or dressing, under Nebraska Medicaid's state plan. Nebraska PAS is for a person of any age who receives Medicaid, lives in their own home rather than an institution, and has an assessed need for the service in order to live in the community.

The rules sit in 471 NAC 15, the Nebraska regulation for Personal Assistance Services. Under 471 NAC 15, a PAS member has the right to pick their preferred approved provider, to identify a possible provider who meets the chapter's minimum qualifications, and to direct their own services.

Who Can Be the Paid PAS Provider in Nebraska?

Asked whether a family member can be paid through Personal Assistance Services, the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) answers: "Yes, as long as the family member is not legally responsible for you." DHHS adds that a family member who wants to be the paid PAS provider "must be able to meet qualifications to become a provider."

Your relationship Can you be the paid PAS provider?
Adult child or other relative who isn't legally responsible Yes, if you meet provider qualifications
Spouse No
Parent of a minor child No
Relative who lives with the member Ask the program
Legal guardian or power of attorney Ask the program

DHHS defines a Legally Responsible Individual (LRI) as a spouse or the parent of a minor child, so an adult son or daughter isn't one.

Caring for a spouse? Under DHHS waiver guidance, a Nebraska spouse can be paid for personal care only through a waiver service called Legally Responsible Individual (LRI) Personal Care. On the Aged and Disabled waiver, LRI Personal Care can be authorized only when the person receiving care meets Nebraska's Extraordinary Care test, and LRI Personal Care can't exceed 40 hours a week. See getting paid to care for your spouse in Nebraska.

How Many Hours PAS Will Pay For

Nebraska PAS hours aren't a flat amount. DHHS must first find that the member meets the PAS eligibility criteria. Then the member and DHHS decide together how many units of PAS service are needed, and under 471 NAC 15 "The Department makes the final determination of units authorized."

471 NAC 15 also sets a ceiling: "Personal assistance services are limited to a maximum of 40 hours per seven-day period." Only DHHS, not the PAS provider, can raise a member's weekly units within that cap, and any Nebraska PAS services beyond 40 hours in a seven-day period need DHHS prior authorization. If your parent needs help around the clock, that cap leaves hours PAS won't pay for unless DHHS approves more, so work out who covers them before you change your own work schedule.

Nebraska Personal Assistance Services Family Caregiver Pay: What to Expect

A Nebraska PAS family caregiver can expect about $17.38 an hour as a rough guide, an estimate based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) May 2025 median for Nebraska home health and personal care aides. That BLS figure is a wage estimate for the occupation, not a rate Nebraska PAS pays a family caregiver. Ask DHHS what PAS will pay you per hour before you cut back at work.

How to Start Getting Family Caregiver Pay Through Nebraska Personal Assistance Services

1
Step 1

Make sure your parent has Nebraska Medicaid

Call ACCESSNebraska at (855) 632-7633, weekdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., to apply by phone or request a paper application. See how to apply for Nebraska Medicaid and the eligibility and income limits.

2
Step 2

Ask DHHS for Personal Assistance Services

DHHS decides whether your parent meets the Nebraska PAS criteria.

3
Step 3

Have your parent name you as the PAS provider

Under 471 NAC 15, a Nebraska PAS member can identify a possible provider who meets the chapter's minimum qualifications.

4
Step 4

Meet the qualifications DHHS sets for Nebraska PAS providers

5
Step 5

Wait for DHHS to authorize your parent's PAS units

before you start paid care.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I be paid through Nebraska PAS if I live with my parent or hold their power of attorney?

Neither 471 NAC 15 nor the DHHS PAS page says whether a relative who lives with the member can be the paid Nebraska PAS provider, or whether a guardian or power of attorney can. The one household rule in 471 NAC 15 is a background check: when PAS care happens at the home the provider lists as their own, members of that household may also be checked in the Central Registries for substantiated reports of abuse or neglect. Ask DHHS before you count on Nebraska PAS pay in either situation.

Can my parent get Nebraska PAS and Aged and Disabled waiver Personal Care at the same time?

DHHS says Personal Care under Nebraska's Aged and Disabled waiver and state plan personal care can't be authorized at the same time. A relative who isn't legally responsible can also be paid for Aged and Disabled waiver Personal Care, Respite and Chore, so if your parent is on that Nebraska waiver, ask the service coordinator which route fits.

Learn More

CaregiverHow to Get Paid as a Family Caregiver in NebraskaHow to get paid as a family caregiver in Nebraska in 2026: VA programs, Medicaid personal care, and private caregiver agreements, and how to apply. CaregiverHow to Get Paid to Care for Your Spouse in NebraskaCan you get paid to care for your spouse in Nebraska? Yes, through LRI Personal Care if your spouse meets Extraordinary Care, or the VA for a veteran. CaregiverCaregiver Programs in NebraskaEvery caregiver program in Nebraska: paid family caregiver pathways, NFCSP respite, VA benefits, and taxes explained for family caregivers in 2026. MedicaidNebraska Medicaid HCBS WaiversNebraska Medicaid HCBS waivers cover home and community care through the Aged and Disabled (AD) Waiver for adults 65+ and people with disabilities. MedicaidHow to Apply for Nebraska MedicaidHow to apply for Nebraska Medicaid online, by phone, or in person: iServe Nebraska, asset limits, spend-down, documents, timelines, and how to appeal a denial.

Find personalized help getting paid through Nebraska's Personal Assistance Services at brevy.com.

The information on Brevy.com is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional legal, financial, or medical advice. Rules vary by state and program and change frequently. Always verify with the relevant agency or a qualified professional. Brevy is not a law firm, financial advisor, or healthcare provider.

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