“How much does Medicaid pay family caregivers in Texas?” is the question families ask us most, and it deserves a straight answer. In Texas, family caregivers hired through a licensed home care agency typically earn between the state’s base wage floor of $10.60 per hour and the mid-teens. At Newport Home Health, family caregivers we hire through the agency option earn $13–14 per hour.
That is the short version. The longer version matters, because the number on your paycheck depends on which route you take (agency option or CDS), which program authorizes the care, and — more than anything — how many hours are authorized. One prerequisite before any of it: the person receiving care must have Texas Medicaid, because the pay comes through their coverage rather than a separate program for caregivers. Here is how it actually works in 2026.
How getting paid actually works: two routes
Texas Medicaid does not send checks directly to family members. When your loved one qualifies for a Medicaid program that covers personal attendant services — most commonly STAR+PLUS for adults who are 65 or older or have a disability — their health plan authorizes a set number of care hours each week. Those hours are delivered one of two ways, and the route decides who sets your wage:
- The agency option. A licensed agency such as Newport hires you as an employee, runs the background check and training, handles payroll taxes, and pays you an hourly wage the agency sets. At Newport, that is $13–14 per hour. Our guide to becoming a paid family caregiver walks through every step.
- Consumer Directed Services (CDS). The member — or a representative, often the son or daughter coordinating care — becomes the employer and sets the caregiver’s wage within a program budget, while a financial management services agency (FMSA) handles payroll. (Seen “CDPAP” mentioned online? That is New York’s program; CDS is the Texas equivalent.)
What drives the hourly number
Four things explain nearly every wage difference you will run into:
- The state base wage floor. Texas writes a minimum attendant wage into its Medicaid rules (1 Tex. Admin. Code §355.7051). In 2023 the Legislature raised that base wage from $8.11 to $10.60 per hour, effective September 1, 2023 (HHSC provider notice). No agency should offer you less than $10.60 for Medicaid attendant work today.
- Rate enhancement participation. HHSC runs a voluntary Attendant Compensation Rate Enhancement program: agencies that opt in receive higher reimbursement that carries spending requirements on attendant pay. Participation is one reason two agencies can quote different rates for the same care.
- The program behind the hours. STAR+PLUS managed care, Community First Choice, and Primary Home Care can carry different reimbursement, and CDS budgets follow their own math.
- The agency’s own pay policy. Reimbursement is similar for everyone; what an agency chooses to pay out of it is not. That choice is worth asking about directly.
In CDS, you set the wage — inside a budget
Under CDS there is no single posted rate, and that is the point: as the employer, you decide what to pay your caregiver. The member’s authorized hours fund a budget, and the wage you set has to fit inside it — covering the caregiver’s pay plus employer costs like payroll taxes. Set the wage higher and the budget still has to balance; the money does not stretch. The FMSA keeps the books and tells you whether a proposed wage works.
Whether that control is worth the extra responsibility is a real decision. Our CDS vs. agency option comparison lays out both sides honestly.
Hours matter more than the rate
Families understandably fixate on the hourly figure, but your actual paycheck is the rate multiplied by the authorized hours — and the hours usually move the total more than the rate does. A caregiver earning $13 per hour on 35 authorized hours grosses $455 a week; a caregiver earning $15 per hour on 20 hours grosses $300.
Hours are not set by the agency. They come from the health plan’s assessment of your loved one’s needs — help with bathing, dressing, meals, mobility, and other daily activities. If your loved one is 65 or older or has a disability, STAR+PLUS is usually the program doing that assessment. And if their needs increase later, the family can ask the health plan for a reassessment; authorized hours can change, and the paycheck follows them.
Which home care agency pays the most?
If you are searching “which home care agency pays the most” — or just wondering how much caregivers make in Texas — here is the honest answer: for Medicaid attendant work, most Texas agencies pay somewhere between the $10.60 state floor and the mid-teens per hour. Agencies bill the same Medicaid programs, so nobody has a secret revenue source, and an offer far above that range for standard attendant services deserves a hard look at the fine print.
The sticker rate also is not the whole paycheck. Before you choose, ask each agency:
- How often do you pay — weekly or biweekly — and is payday reliable?
- Will I consistently work all of my loved one’s authorized hours?
- Do you reimburse mileage when driving is part of the care plan?
- What training do you provide, and am I paid while completing it?
- How fast can you complete hiring so I can start getting paid?
One more thing: be wary of ads that promise a specific weekly income. No honest agency can guarantee what you will earn, because no agency controls how many hours your loved one is authorized to receive.
Call two or three agencies and ask the same five questions — the answers separate quickly. When you call Newport at 972-602-3500, you will get plain answers: $13–14 per hour, payday every other Friday, and the rest explained without a sales pitch.
How to start with Newport: three steps
- Call 972-602-3500 or send the form below. We check your loved one’s Medicaid coverage and which program fits. The consultation is free.
- We handle the setup. If your loved one already receives attendant hours through another agency, they can usually switch to Newport through their health plan. If they are new to services, we walk you through the STAR+PLUS process step by step.
- You complete hiring and start. Background check, paperwork, orientation — then you are on the schedule, getting paid for care you are probably already providing.
Want to see how we support the people we hire? Visit our caregivers page.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get paid to take care of my mom in Texas?
Yes, in many cases. If your mom has Medicaid and is approved for attendant services through a program like STAR+PLUS, an adult child can often be hired as her paid caregiver. Spouses generally cannot be paid under most Texas Medicaid programs, and every case turns on the member’s eligibility and assessment — call us and we will check yours.
Do I need experience or a certification to be a paid family caregiver?
No. For the agency option, you do not need a license, a certification, or prior professional experience. Newport hires family caregivers as employees: you pass a background check, complete the hiring paperwork and orientation, and we train you for the role.
Is pay weekly or biweekly?
Newport pays biweekly — payday is every other Friday. Pay schedules vary by agency, so whichever one you choose, ask up front so the timing of the first paycheck does not surprise you.
Can two family members split the care hours?
Often, yes. Authorized hours can be divided between more than one caregiver — say, a daughter on weekdays and a granddaughter on weekends — as long as each person completes the hiring requirements and the total stays within the authorization.
Check whether your family qualifies
Tell us a little about your situation and we will call you back — no cost, no obligation, bilingual staff available.
Prefer to talk now? Call 972-602-3500 — we serve Dallas–Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio.
Rates and program details on this page are current as of July 2026 and can change; nothing here is a guarantee of employment or income. Call us for the latest.
