Oregon's Medicaid in-home services can pay an adult child or other relative by the hour to care for a family member at home, with case manager approval. Under the Consumer-Employed Provider Program of the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS), the person who needs care hires the homecare worker and Oregon pays the wage., Oregon homecare worker family caregiver pay is $21.25 to $25.25 an hour in 2026 under the 2025-2027 contract with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 503.,

Which Family Caregivers Can Be Paid as Oregon Homecare Workers?

The ODHS Office of Aging and People with Disabilities runs Oregon's Medicaid in-home services for older adults and people with physical disabilities, mainly through the K Plan, a Medicaid state plan option for people who need help with regular daily activities and want to stay home.,

Your relationship Can you be paid as the homecare worker?
Adult child, grandchild, sibling or other relative Yes, with case manager approval
Relative whose home your loved one lives in Yes, with case manager approval
Relative who moves into your loved one's home Not addressed separately; ask the case manager
Spouse Only through the Spousal Pay Program or the Independent Choices Program, per ODHS guidance, unless a homecare worker later marries the person (see the FAQ)
The person's representative, including a self-designated guardian No

Oregon's rule defines a relative as a person "excluding an individual's spouse" who is related by blood, marriage or adoption.

A representative acts as the employer and handles service planning, but "may not be a paid caregiver for the individual they are representing," and a homecare worker can't be the representative. A person with a guardian must have a representative, and the guardian may designate themselves.

Oregon's Spousal Pay Program requires, among other tests, that the person need full assistance in at least four of six activities of daily living.

Does Your Loved One Qualify?

The person you care for must be 18 or older, be eligible for the Oregon Health Plan (OHP) Plus benefit package, and meet one of service priority levels 1 through 13. Oregon's service priority levels come from an assessment of how much help the person needs with activities of daily living such as mobility, eating and toileting, and a lower number means greater need. Describing a parent's struggles can feel personal, but be complete: the assessment counts those details.

Then the money test: in 2026, Oregon long-term care Medicaid requires countable resources of $2,000 or less for one person. See how to apply for Oregon Medicaid for the income limit and what counts.

Paid hours add to free help from family and friends: payments "are not intended to replace" natural supports, and "the Department does not pay for natural support."

What Oregon Homecare Worker Family Caregiver Pay Looks Like

If you're cutting back at work to care for a parent, here is your wage: from Jan. 1, 2026, Oregon's homecare worker rate is $21.25 an hour at step 1 (under 2,000 hours worked and accumulated since Jan. 1, 2023) to $25.25 at step 5 (8,000 hours or more), plus any earned differential. The Appendix A Pay Scale in the 2025-2027 contract among the state, the Oregon Home Care Commission (OHCC) and SEIU Local 503 sets this rate, and the same scale covers Spousal Pay providers.

ODHS's rate schedule effective July 1, 2026 lists differentials of +$0.25 an hour for CPR/First aid, +$1.00 Enhanced, +$1.25 Professional development, +$2.25 Enhanced with PDC and +$3.00 Exceptional or VDQ, plus mileage at $0.70 a mile, and $40.40 an hour for in-home agencies, which is what the state pays an agency, not what an agency caregiver earns.

The 2025-2027 Oregon homecare worker contract's next column takes effect Jan. 1, 2027, at $23.00 an hour for step 1 through $27.00 for step 5, and the contract expires June 30, 2027.

How Many Hours Can You Be Paid?

Your loved one's assessment sets the hours, and OAR 411-030-0070 sets these limits:

  • An Oregon homecare worker on a service plan created since Sept. 1, 2016 is limited to 40 hours a week, unless the person has a "Weekly Cap" exception.
  • An Oregon homecare worker who averaged 40 or more paid hours a week in March, April and May 2016 is limited to 50 hours a week.
  • A single Oregon homecare worker is limited to 16 hours of awake care in a 24-hour period.

How to Become Your Family Member's Homecare Worker

1
Step 1

Call the ADRC at 855-ORE-ADRC (855-673-2372)

It connects you to your local office. Ask about Medicaid in-home services and say you want to be the homecare worker.

2
Step 2

Apply for Oregon Medicaid if your loved one isn't enrolled

3
Step 3

Complete the assessment

, which calculates the service priority level.

4
Step 4

Enroll as a homecare worker

Under OAR 411-031-0040, your loved one or their representative "has the right to employ any person who successfully meets the provider enrollment standards," subject to case manager approval; the local ODHS or Area Agency on Aging office decides whether you can be enrolled and paid. ORS 443.004 requires a criminal records check at Home Care Commission registration and renewal, run by ODHS's Background Check Unit through ORCHARDS.,

5
Step 5

Get hired and start

OHCC certifications and training, Carewell SEIU 503 benefits and a free Provider Navigator Program help new workers. For tax forms, see whether Medicaid-paid caregivers get a W-2 or a 1099.,

Frequently Asked Questions

What if I marry the person I'm paid to care for?

Your pay may not have to stop. "Homecare workers who marry their consumer-employer are not paid under the spousal pay program": if the person meets all Spousal Pay eligibility requirements, you stay paid on a standard in-home service plan with full IADL hours. If the person isn't Spousal Pay eligible, ODHS says you can't continue as the paid worker, but the person can hire someone else or seek Independent Choices Program approval.

I have no caregiving experience. Can I still be paid?

Possibly. Based on an applicant's lack of skills, knowledge or abilities, ODHS or the local office may approve a restricted homecare worker who serves one specific consumer who is a family member, neighbor or friend.

Am I covered by workers' comp if I'm hurt caring for my mom?

Yes, for state-funded care. Oregon's Workers' Compensation Division says the Home Care Commission elects coverage on behalf of the clients who employ state-funded homecare workers, and SEIU Local 503 homecare workers are covered for on-the-job injuries.

Learn More

CaregiverHow to Get Paid as a Family Caregiver in OregonOregon paid family caregiver options for 2026: Medicaid in-home services and homecare workers, the Spousal Pay Program, Independent Choices, and VA programs. CaregiverCaregiver Programs in OregonA directory of every caregiver program in Oregon for 2026: the Spousal Pay Program, K Plan, CEP self-direction, respite, NFCSP grants, VA benefits, and taxes. MedicaidOregon Medicaid HCBS WaiversOregon Medicaid HCBS waivers pay for home care through the K Plan and the 1915(c) APD Waiver: who qualifies, 2026 income and asset limits, and how to apply.

Find personalized help becoming a paid homecare worker in Oregon 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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Brevy Care Team

Expert eldercare guidance from Brevy's team of healthcare professionals and researchers.