Paying for assisted living and home care in Texas
- Last checked
- 15 official or primary sources
- Independent, not a care agency
Quick answer
Possibly, if the person meets the rules. Texas Medicaid home and community-based programs (such as STAR+PLUS / STAR+PLUS HCBS – Consumer Directed Services (CDS) option) can pay for care at home for people who qualify, but federal waiver money can't pay room and board in assisted living. Some veterans can get VA Aid and Attendance or Housebound money or VA home care. Medicare doesn't pay for long-term care. In CareScout's 2025 Cost of Care Survey, the Texas median was $5,666 a month for assisted living and $5,720 a month for a non-medical caregiver at home 44 hours a week ($30/hour).
What care costs in Texas
| Type of care | Texas median | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|
| Assisted living (monthly, private one-bedroom) | $5,666 | $6,200 |
| Home care, non-medical caregiver (monthly, 44 hrs/week) | $5,720 | $6,673 |
| Home care, non-medical caregiver (hourly) | $30 | $35 |
Source: CareScout Cost of Care Survey 2025 (surveyed July–November 2025). Survey medians, not quotes; prices vary by city and provider.
Medicaid in Texas
These are the Texas Medicaid home and community-based programs we've documented in our Texas caregiver pay guide:
STAR+PLUS / STAR+PLUS HCBS – Consumer Directed Services (CDS) option
Members (or their legally authorized representative) living in their own or a family home can hire and manage their own attendants, including family members and friends. A Financial Management Services Agency (FMSA) handles payroll.
Consumer Managed Personal Attendant Services (CMPAS)
Named by Texas HHS Form 1726 as the exception where a spouse may be employed under CDS. Eligibility details not covered here.
How to apply: Apply for Medicaid online through Your Texas Benefits or by calling 2-1-1 (Texas HHS STAR+PLUS page). STAR+PLUS HCBS has an interest list: get on it through HHSC Interest List Management or, if already in STAR+PLUS, through your health plan (MCO). Current Medicaid members may be able to skip the list through the 'upgrade' process.
Waiting list: Yes for STAR+PLUS HCBS: people are assessed when their name reaches the top of the interest list (Texas HHS handbook 1200).
Assisted living: Unverified: we haven't yet confirmed on an official Texas page whether Medicaid pays for services in assisted living. Where states do, federal rules don't allow waiver money for room and board (42 CFR 441.310), so ask how rent and meals would be paid.
Some of these programs let the person hire a family caregiver. Can family get paid in Texas?
Veterans in Texas
VA Aid and Attendance and Housebound benefits add to the VA pension for wartime veterans and surviving spouses who qualify. VA pays the gap between countable income and a yearly limit: for December 1, 2025 to November 30, 2026, $29,093 for a veteran with no dependents who qualifies for Aid and Attendance, or $34,488 with one dependent (VA rates). Enrolled veterans may also get Homemaker and Home Health Aide care or Veteran-Directed Care where it's offered. VA doesn't pay assisted living rent but may cover some services. See also VA programs that pay family caregivers.
Other help in Texas
Medicare doesn't pay for long-term custodial care (Medicare.gov). Your local Area Agency on Aging can tell you about Texas programs outside Medicaid, like respite and caregiver support. Find it through the Eldercare Locator (1-800-677-1116). Need ramps or grab bars instead? See home modification grants.
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Frequently asked questions
Will Medicaid pay for assisted living in Texas?
We haven't confirmed on an official Texas page whether Medicaid covers services in assisted living there. Where states do, federal rules don't allow waiver money for room and board, so rent and meals are usually paid separately. Ask the Texas Medicaid agency.
Will Medicaid pay for home care in Texas?
Texas Medicaid offers home and community-based programs, including STAR+PLUS / STAR+PLUS HCBS – Consumer Directed Services (CDS) option; Consumer Managed Personal Attendant Services (CMPAS). Eligibility depends on income, assets and care needs, and enrollment can be limited.
Can a veteran in Texas get help paying for care?
Wartime veterans and surviving spouses who meet VA's income, net worth and care-need rules may get Aid and Attendance or Housebound pension money. Enrolled veterans may get VA Homemaker and Home Health Aide care or Veteran-Directed Care where offered. These are federal programs, so the rules are the same in Texas as everywhere.
How much does senior care cost in Texas?
In CareScout's 2025 Cost of Care Survey, the Texas median was $5,666 a month for assisted living and $5,720 a month for a non-medical caregiver at home 44 hours a week ($30/hour). These are medians, not quotes.
Sources
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