Get Paid to Care for Your Elderly Parent in Kansas
Kansas' HCBS Frail Elderly (FE) Waiver lets seniors self-direct Attendant Care services and choose a family member, such as an adult child, as the paid caregiver. Attendant Care is the only FE-waiver service that can be self-directed, and spouses and legal guardians are excluded.
This guide covers what Kansas family caregivers need to know: the program structure, pay rates, who can be paid, eligibility, how to apply, and other programs that may supplement your income.
Kansas pays family caregivers $12–$20 per hour through the Frail Elderly Waiver Self-Directed Attendant Care option within the Kansas HCBS for the Frail Elderly (FE) Waiver. Your parent must meet a nursing-facility level of care but prefer to remain at home.
Kansas's Main Program: Frail Elderly Waiver Self-Directed Attendant Care
Frail Elderly Waiver Self-Directed Attendant Care is a self-directed option within Kansas's Kansas HCBS for the Frail Elderly (FE) Waiver, which provides home and community-based care for seniors and adults with disabilities who meet a nursing-facility level of need. Under self-direction, your parent (or you as their authorized representative) can hire, train, schedule, and supervise the personal-care attendant — and that attendant can be you, an adult child.
What the Program Pays For
Authorized self-directed services typically include:
- Personal care: bathing, grooming, dressing, oral hygiene
- Toileting assistance and incontinence care
- Mobility help: transferring, positioning, ambulation support
- Meal preparation and feeding assistance
- Light housekeeping directly related to health and safety
- Medication reminders (not administration, which requires a nurse)
- Supervision for individuals with cognitive impairment, including dementia
Pay Rates Across Kansas
| Region | Typical Hourly Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Wichita / South Central | $13–$20/hr | Self-direct Attendant Care; spouse and legal guardian excluded as caregiver |
| Kansas City Metro | $13–$20/hr | FMS (e.g., GT Independence) processes payroll for self-directed workers |
| Western / Rural Kansas | $12–$18/hr | Apply through your local ADRC at 1-855-200-2372 |
Rates are set within the participant's approved plan-of-care budget and the state's limits; the figures above are typical ranges, not guarantees.
Who Can Be Paid
A family member, including an adult child, may be hired for self-directed Attendant Care, but the caregiver cannot be the spouse or the participant's legal guardian/POA. Always confirm the current rules with Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KanCare) / KDADS before you count on a specific arrangement.
Eligibility Requirements
Your Parent Must:
- Be enrolled in full Kansas Medicaid (not just a savings program)
- Meet the clinical criteria for a nursing-facility level of care
- Be enrolled in the Kansas HCBS for the Frail Elderly (FE) Waiver (or its self-directed option)
- Live in Kansas in a community setting (not a nursing home)
- Be able to direct their own care, or have a legal/authorized representative who can
You (the Caregiver) Must:
- Be 18 years of age or older
- Meet the program's relationship rules (see above)
- Pass a criminal background check and registry search
- Complete any required caregiver orientation and training
- Be legally authorized to work in the United States
- Submit timesheets through a financial management service (e.g., GT Independence)
How to Apply: Step-by-Step
- Apply for Kansas Medicaid. Apply online at www.kancare.ks.gov/consumers/apply-for-kancare or call 1-800-792-4884. Your parent must meet income and asset limits.
- Request a long-term-services assessment. Contact your local Medicaid or aging office to request a comprehensive functional assessment that determines whether your parent qualifies for the Kansas HCBS for the Frail Elderly (FE) Waiver.
- Enroll in the waiver. Once deemed eligible, your parent is enrolled in the Kansas HCBS for the Frail Elderly (FE) Waiver and assigned a case manager or care coordinator.
- Request the self-directed (FE Waiver) option. During care planning, ask specifically for the consumer/self-directed service model and state that you, the adult child, want to be the hired caregiver.
- Enroll with a financial management service (e.g., GT Independence). Complete enrollment paperwork — W-4, I-9, and background authorization — so payroll, tax withholding, and timesheets are handled for you.
- Complete orientation. Finish any state-required caregiver orientation covering personal-care techniques, emergency procedures, and reporting.
- Begin care and submit timesheets. Provide care per the authorized plan and submit electronic timesheets; payroll is processed on a regular cycle with taxes withheld.
Check Your Parent's Eligibility
Our free Benefits Checker helps identify whether your parent qualifies for Kansas's caregiver-pay programs and other benefits.
Check Eligibility NowOther Programs That May Pay Kansas Family Caregivers
VA Veteran-Directed Care & PCAFC
If your parent is a veteran enrolled in VA healthcare, the Veteran-Directed Care program provides a monthly budget that can pay family caregivers, and the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) offers a monthly stipend for eligible primary caregivers. Contact the caregiver support coordinator at your parent's VA medical center or call 1-855-260-3274.
Personal Care Agreement (Private Pay)
If your parent does not qualify for Medicaid, a formal written Personal Care Agreement lets them pay you from their own funds at fair-market rates. Drafted with an elder-law attorney, it must be prospective and reasonable — and it keeps payments from being treated as "gifts" during the Medicaid 5-year look-back.
State Respite & Caregiver Support
Through the National Family Caregiver Support Program, Kansas's Area Agencies on Aging fund respite, training, and counseling. These rarely pay ongoing wages but reduce your out-of-pocket costs. Find your local agency through the Eldercare Locator (1-800-677-1116) or 1-855-200-2372.
Tax Implications for Family Caregivers
- W-2 wages: The financial management agency issues you a W-2; federal income tax, Social Security, and Medicare are withheld.
- IRS Notice 2014-7: If you live in the same home as your parent (the Medicaid waiver participant), your self-directed wages may be excludable from federal gross income. Consult a CPA before filing — see IRS guidance on Medicaid waiver payments.
- Earned Income Tax Credit: These wages count as earned income and may qualify you for the EITC.
Maintain daily logs of services provided — date, time in, time out, and a brief description. Medicaid audits self-directed arrangements, and accurate records protect both you and your parent.
What Kansas Caregivers Are Actually Earning
At 30 hours per week and about $16 per hour, you would earn roughly $2,080 per month. At 40 hours per week and $20 per hour, earnings reach about $3,466 per month — around $41,600 per year before taxes.
For comparison, a nursing home costs far more per year, and agency home care runs roughly $30–$40 per hour. A self-directed arrangement lets your parent receive care from someone they trust, while you earn income that partially replaces what you may have given up to provide care.
Contact Information
- Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KanCare) / KDADS: www.kdads.ks.gov/services-programs/long-term-services-supports/home-and-community-based-services-hcbs-programs/hcbs-programs/frail-elderly-fe | 1-800-792-4884
- Apply for Medicaid: www.kancare.ks.gov/consumers/apply-for-kancare
- State aging services: www.kdads.ks.gov | 1-855-200-2372
- Eldercare Locator (find local help): eldercare.acl.gov | 1-800-677-1116
- Medicaid (federal): medicaid.gov
Frequently Asked Questions
Kansas family caregivers providing self-directed Attendant Care under the FE Waiver typically earn about $12 to $20 per hour, with the rate set through the KanCare managed-care plan and the financial management service. Actual pay depends on authorized hours.
The HCBS Frail Elderly (FE) Waiver is Kansas' 1915(c) Medicaid waiver for residents 65 and older who are at risk of nursing-home placement. It covers services such as attendant care, adult day care, and personal emergency response. Attendant Care can be self-directed.
No. Under the FE Waiver self-directed Attendant Care option, the paid caregiver cannot be the participant's spouse or a person serving as their legal guardian, conservator, or activated power of attorney. An adult child or other relative can be hired.
The HCBS Frail Elderly (FE) Waiver is the program that lets a family member be paid, through its self-directed Attendant Care service. Attendant Care is the only FE-waiver service that can be self-directed.
To apply for the FE Waiver, contact your local Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) at 1-855-200-2372, and apply for KanCare Medicaid online or by phone at the KanCare Clearinghouse, 1-800-792-4884. Then set up self-directed Attendant Care with your managed-care plan.
Yes. A parent with dementia who qualifies for the FE Waiver can self-direct Attendant Care and hire an adult child as the paid caregiver. A spouse or legal guardian cannot be the paid worker.
Related Guides
- How to Get Paid to Care for Your Parent (National Overview)
- How to Apply for Medicaid for an Elderly Parent
- Caregiver Tax Deductions 2026
- VA Benefits for Elderly Parents
- Power of Attorney for an Elderly Parent
- Medicaid Spend-Down Rules
This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. Program names, pay rates, and eligibility rules change and vary by county — confirm details with Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KanCare) / KDADS. Sources: www.kdads.ks.gov · www.kancare.ks.gov.