The Complete Guide to Home Care Services in Dallas

Home care in Dallas runs through Texas’s STAR+PLUS Medicaid managed care system — and the single most important thing Dallas families need to know is that
STAR+PLUS doesn’t typically have a waitlist. Unlike some Texas programs where families wait months or years for services, STAR+PLUS Home and Community-Based Services are generally available once eligibility is established. If your loved one needs home care in the DFW area, there’s a path to get it.

How Home Care Works in Dallas

STAR+PLUS HCBS

STAR+PLUS is Texas’s Medicaid managed care program for adults 21+ with disabilities and those65+. It’s the primary vehicle for home care in Dallas. Four
MCOs administer the program locally: Superior HealthPlan, Molina Healthcare, Amerigroup, and UnitedHealthcare.  STAR+PLUS HCBS covers personal attendant services, homemaker services (meal prep, housekeeping), adaptive aids, emergency response systems, and respite care for family caregivers.

Consumer Directed Services

The feature that sets Texas apart for families:  Consumer Directed Services (CDS) allows the care recipient to hire their own caregiver — including a qualifying family member. A Financial Management Services Agency (FMSA) handles payroll, taxes, and compliance. The family member becomes a paid attendant earning an hourly rate.

Two rules to know: spouses cannot be paid attendants in Texas, and the employer of record and paid attendant must be different people.

What Home Care Services Are Available

Through STAR+PLUS HCBS and CDS, Dallas families can access personal care (bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, eating), meal preparation and feeding support, medication reminders, mobility assistance, light housekeeping and laundry, companionship and supervision, and adaptive aids and emergency response.

For families needing broader services, programs like CLASS and MDCP offer more comprehensive packages — though both may have waitlists.

Cost and Payment

Through Medicaid (STAR+PLUS): No out-of-pocket cost for authorized services. Medicaid covers everything.

Private pay: Dallas-area home care agencies typically charge $22 to $30 per hour. But our consistent recommendation is to check Medicaid eligibility first — SSI recipients qualify automatically, and many older adults on Social Security and modest savings also qualify.

VA programs: Eligible Dallas-area veterans can access home care through VA programs. The Dallas VA Medical Center and the Dallas Area Agency on Aging
can provide information.

Getting Started in Dallas

Step 1: Apply for Medicaid through YourTexasBenefits.com or call 2-1-1.

Step 2: Enroll in STAR+PLUS and choose an MCO.

Step 3: Request a functional assessment through the MCO.

Step 4: During care planning, request CDS to hire a family member.

Step 5: Connect with an FMSA, complete background checks, and start receiving payment.

Timeline: approximately eight to twelve weeks from application to first paycheck.

CareChoice Serves Dallas Families

CareChoice operates in the Dallas market and knows the local STAR+PLUS landscape — the MCOs, the FMSAs, the service coordination timelines. Whether your family is starting the Medicaid application or already enrolled and wants to switch to CDS, we help at every step.

Contact CareChoice → Dallas team

Written by Carolyn Choates, Assistant Marketing Manager | CareChoice

Related: Get Paid to Care for Family in TX →|STAR+PLUS in Dallas →|CDS in Texas →