The Complete Guide to Home Care Services in Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh’s home care landscape is robust but different from Philadelphia’s — different MCOs, different local resources, and a different community feel. If your family is looking for home care in Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, or the surrounding communities, this guide covers everything: what’s available, who pays, and how to get started.

Home Care in Pittsburgh: The Basics

Home care in Pittsburgh works through the same statewide system as Philadelphia —Pennsylvania’s Medicaid program funds non-medical home care services through Community HealthChoices. But Pittsburgh operates in a different CHC zone: the Southwest Zone, which covers Allegheny County and the surrounding region.

This means different MCOs, a different Area Agency on Aging, and in some cases different provider networks. If you’ve read content about Philadelphia home care and assumed Pittsburgh works identically, the structural differences matter.

Community HealthChoices in the Southwest Zone

Pittsburgh’s CHC Southwest Zone is administered by three MCOs — but they’re not the same three as Philadelphia. The Southwest Zone MCOs are AmeriHealth Caritas (also in the SE Zone), PA Health & Wellness (also in the SE Zone), and UPMC Community HealthChoices— which is unique to the western PA zones and brings the UPMC health system’s infrastructure into the managed care equation.

UPMC CHC is the distinctive factor for Pittsburgh families. UPMC is deeply embedded in western Pennsylvania’s healthcare ecosystem — many Pittsburgh families already receive medical care through UPMC providers, and having their home care services administered through the same system can create care coordination advantages.

In our experience at CareChoice, the MCO choice in Pittsburgh warrants more consideration than many families give it. UPMC CHC may offer stronger coordination if your loved one already sees UPMC physicians. AmeriHealth Caritas and PA Health & Wellness bring multi-zone experience.  The right choice depends on your family’s existing healthcare relationships and the responsiveness of each MCO’s service coordination team in your area.

Paid Family Caregiving in Pittsburgh

Just like in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh families can access Participant-Directed Services through CHC. The model is identical: your loved one chooses a family member as their caregiver, that person is hired through the Agency with Choice model, and they become a W-2 employee.

The eligibility rules, the background check requirements, the family relationship rules— all the same as Philadelphia. The only difference is the MCO through which services are authorized and coordinated.

The Allegheny County Area Agency on Aging

While Philadelphia has PCA, Pittsburgh has the Allegheny County Area Agency on Aging (AAA). They’re the local hub for aging services, information, referrals, and assessment coordination. The Allegheny County AAA can help your family understand which programs apply, connect you with the right MCO, and get the home care enrollment process started.

Contact: Allegheny County AAA — call the Allegheny County Department of Human Services Senior Line at (412) 350-5460.

In our experience, the Allegheny County AAA is an effective first touchpoint for Pittsburgh families who don’t know where to start. They triage quickly — Medicaid status, care needs, geographic area — and route you to the right resource.

Central PA: Reading and Beyond

CareChoice also serves families in Central Pennsylvania, including the Reading area. These communities fall within CHC’s Lehigh/Capital Zone, with yet another set of MCOs. Families in Reading, Lancaster, Harrisburg, and surrounding areas can access the same paid family caregiving programs — the state framework is consistent, even though the local administration varies by zone.
If your family is in Central PA and unsure which zone you’re in or which MCOs serve your area, CareChoice can help you sort it out.

Getting Started in Pittsburgh

Step 1:  Check Medicaid eligibility through COMPASS or the Allegheny County Assistance Office.

Step 2:  Contact the Allegheny County AAA at (412) 350-5460 for information and referrals.

Step 3:  Enroll in Community HealthChoices and choose an MCO (AmeriHealth Caritas, PA Health & Wellness, or UPMC CHC).

Step 4:  Request a functional assessment through the MCO.

Step 5:  During care planning, request Participant-Directed Services if a family member will provide the care.

Step 6:  Complete Agency with Choice onboarding and start receiving care and payment.

CareChoice Serves Pittsburgh Families

CareChoice operates across Pennsylvania — Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Reading, and Central PA.  We understand the differences between CHC zones, the local MCOs, and the community resources specific to each market. If you’re a Pittsburgh family looking for home care, we bring the same hands-on guidance to western PA that we provide in the east.

Contact CareChoice →Pennsylvania team

Written by Sophia Aloia, Content & SEO Manager | CareChoice

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