What does post-hospital-discharge home care cost?
Key facts
- Personal Care rate, Southeast MI
- $29–$37/hr (2026 agency rate)
- Typical starter block
- 4–8 daytime hours, 5–7 days/week
- Typical first-two-weeks weekly cost
- $580–$1,480
- Medicare role
- Skilled visits only — never the hourly caregiver
- Agency rate includes
- Payroll tax, workers comp, insurance, training, RN oversight, backup
Most hospital discharges land in the Personal Care band because the help needed is hands-on: safe transfers off the bed and toilet, bathing around drains or incisions, medication reminders on the exact hospital schedule, and daily observation for setback. Southeast Michigan agency rates in 2026 run $29–$37/hr for Personal Care.
A typical starter schedule for the first two weeks home is a 4-to-8 hour daytime block, five to seven days per week. That is $580–$1,480 per week depending on shift length. Overnight coverage is added only when the discharging team flags high fall risk, or the household has no second adult overnight.
The rate covers wages, payroll tax, workers compensation, liability insurance, background checks, training, Registered Nurse oversight, and access to a vetted backup caregiver. Private-hire rates ($18–$28/hr) exclude all of that — those costs and risks shift onto the family at the worst possible moment.
Medicare will not pay this hourly bill. It pays for the parallel skilled home-health visits (nurse, PT, OT) for a limited window. Long-term care insurance, VA Aid & Attendance, and the MI Choice waiver each cover post-discharge home care for families who qualify.
For the full breakdown, see the cornerstone: Hospital Discharge Home Care guide.
Related questions
- How many hours do most families need the first week home?
- A 4-to-8 hour daytime block covers most orthopedic, cardiac, and abdominal discharges. Higher acuity or single-adult households add overnight coverage.
- Does long-term care insurance cover it?
- Most policies do, once the insured meets 2 of 6 ADL triggers or a documented cognitive trigger and satisfies the elimination period.
- What if we only need help for two weeks?
- Southeast Michigan agencies commonly run 2-to-6 week short-stay recoveries. Care ends when the family stops the schedule — no long-term contract.
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