Nebraska · personal care aide (PCA)
Nebraska sets no fixed training hours for Medicaid personal care providers, called Personal Assistance Services (PAS) providers. Instead, you must have the skills to do your client’s care tasks safely. Relatives can be paid, with a few firm limits.
At a glance
What the state asks of PCAs who work for licensed agencies or Medicaid programs.
| Job titles | Personal Assistance Services (PAS) provider, independent provider; home health aide at home health agencies |
| Training | No fixed hours. You must have the skills for your client’s care tasks and Electronic Visit Verification, and be able to spot distress and call for emergency help. |
| Exam | None for basic PAS. Specialized providers qualify by passing the Nebraska CNA equivalency test, holding an RN or LPN license, or having 4,160 hours of PAS experience. |
| Certification | None for basic PAS providers |
| Background check | Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) checks the Adult and Child Protective Services registries. A substantiated or pending report, or an ongoing history of crime that may endanger clients, bars enrollment. |
| Yearly training | Not confirmed in state sources; ask DHHS |
| Minimum age | 19 |
| Agency licensing | No state license for personal-care-only agencies. DHHS licenses home health agencies that provide skilled nursing or another therapy service. |
Training
Nebraska Medicaid does not require a set number of class hours for Personal Assistance Services providers. You must have the knowledge, experience, and skills to do the care tasks your client needs, use Electronic Visit Verification to log visits, recognize when your client is in distress, and know how to reach emergency help.
Some clients need a specialized provider. You qualify by passing the Nebraska certified nursing assistant (CNA) equivalency test, holding a registered nurse (RN) or licensed practical nurse (LPN) license, or having 4,160 hours of PAS experience. Aides at licensed home health agencies are different: they take a 75-hour home health aide course.
The steps
The usual path for a new aide.
Family caregivers
Yes, in many cases. Through Medicaid Personal Assistance Services, clients choose their own independent provider, and relatives can be paid. Care may also come through the Aged and Disabled (AD) Waiver.
Two firm limits: a spouse cannot be a paid PAS provider, and neither can the parent of a minor child.
Read our full guide: how to get paid to care for a family member.
Compare
All three help people with daily care. Training, tasks, and pay differ.
| Personal care aide | Home health aide | CNA | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Training | No set hours; skills for the client's tasks | 75 hours federal minimum, including 16 hands-on | State-approved program, 75 hours or more |
| Medical tasks | Mostly not. Help with daily living, like bathing, dressing, meals, and housework | Some, like vital signs, under nurse supervision | Yes, under nurse supervision |
| Where you work | Clients' homes, group homes, assisted living | Clients' homes, through home health agencies | Nursing homes and hospitals |
| Median pay (NE) | $17.38 an hour* | $17.38 an hour* | $19.23 an hour |
*Federal pay data groups personal care aides with home health aides. Many PCAs later become CNAs, which opens more jobs and higher pay.
FAQ
Short answers to what people ask most.
Not for basic Medicaid personal care. There is no state certificate for PAS providers, but you must pass registry checks and have the skills your client needs. Aides at licensed home health agencies take a 75-hour course.
Nebraska sets no fixed hours for Medicaid PAS providers. You must have the knowledge and skills to do your client's care tasks safely.
Yes, if she gets Medicaid Personal Assistance Services. She can choose you as her independent provider. Spouses and parents of minor children cannot be paid PAS providers.
You must be at least 19 to be a Medicaid PAS provider.
Home health and personal care aides in Nebraska earn a median of $17.38 an hour, based on the May 2025 federal wage survey.