Medicare Caregiver Training Benefit Serves 9,600 Families in 18 Months

A study released by the AARP Public Policy Institute reveals that Medicare paid claims for caregiver training for approximately 9,600 recipients during the first year and a half of the benefit’s availability. The data highlights a stark gap between the national caregiver population, estimated at 63 million, and the number of families actually utilizing the federal program.

The training benefit, introduced in 2024, allows Medicare to reimburse providers for teaching family members specific skills. These skills include safe patient lifting, wound care, medication administration, and communication techniques for patients with dementia or other chronic conditions. The program is designed to support the shift of complex medical care from hospitals into private homes, where family members often perform tasks previously handled by professional staff.

Rita Choula, senior director of caregiving at the AARP Public Policy Institute, noted that the healthcare system relies heavily on unpaid family labor without providing adequate structural support. AARP research indicates that 40% of caregivers provide high-intensity care, which involves managing medical equipment and administering injections. However, only about 20% of these caregivers have received any form of training.

State-level programs offer a contrasting model. Minnesota operates the only formal, state-funded profession dedicated to caregiver coaching in the nation. The program is delivered through 42 agencies and 105 certified consultants who serve roughly 17,300 individuals annually. These consultants provide long-term, in-person support, including instruction on grief, financial planning, and physical care techniques. Ron Patrick, an 85-year-old resident in a senior community north of Minneapolis, credited a Minnesota consultant with teaching him how to safely lift his wife, Vangie, after falls. The instruction helped the couple navigate her transition to a skilled nursing facility.

Wisconsin has attempted to replicate this model through county-based support. In Kenosha County, coordinator Margaret Ricchio provides in-person training to families. She stated that caregivers often arrive in a state of crisis, having already managed the most difficult physical challenges alone. A free platform called Trualta, which relaunched in 2025 after a funding lapse, offers virtual resources to supplement these local efforts.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services stated via email that it has included information on caregiver training in its annual handbook and is monitoring implementation. The agency declined an interview but said it continues to explore ways to raise awareness. The State Health Insurance Assistance Program, a network of federally funded Medicare counselors, did not respond to requests for comment.

California previously funded a program called CalGrows, which used $89 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act money to provide 850 trainings in 10 languages. That program ended in October 2024. Eileen Norman, who runs the San Francisco IHSS Public Authority, said she had not heard of the Medicare benefit, illustrating the lack of promotion for the federal option.