Virginia insurance MCOs 2026: in-home caregiving coverage explained
Navigating Virginia's Medicaid Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) can feel overwhelming, especially when you're searching for reliable in-home caregiving coverage. In 2026 the Cardinal Care program includes five MCOs—Aetna Better Health of Virginia, Anthem HealthKeepers Plus, Humana Healthy Horizons, Sentara Health Plans and UnitedHealthcare of the Mid-Atlantic. Molina Healthcare exited the program in mid-2025, and Humana took its place under the new contract. These plans offer various benefits for families seeking personal care and respite services at home.
This guide breaks down each MCO's approach to in-home caregiving and highlights key considerations for families in Northern Virginia and Stafford. Whether you're caring for an aging parent, spouse or adult child with disabilities, understanding your options empowers you to choose the best plan and partner with a trusted provider like Godaelli Home Health.
What Virginia's MCO landscape means for families at home
Virginia's Cardinal Care program combines Medicaid and FAMIS managed care under a single umbrella. Each MCO manages the member's benefits and network of providers. As of July 1 2025, DMAS awarded contracts to Aetna, Anthem, Humana, Sentara and UnitedHealthcare. Families may switch plans during open enrollment if their needs change. Many in-home services—such as personal care, respite and companion support—are delivered through the Commonwealth Coordinated Care Plus (CCC Plus) waiver or consumer-directed models. For a deeper dive into the waiver program, see our CCC Plus Waiver Virginia guide. These services help individuals remain at home by assisting with activities of daily living like bathing, dressing, meal prep and mobility.
Signs it may be time to explore MCO coverage
You might consider researching your MCO options if you notice any of the following:
- Increasing difficulty with bathing, grooming, dressing or mobility
- Caregiving responsibilities interfering with work or family life
- Out-of-pocket expenses for home health aides becoming unsustainable
- Your loved one wants to remain at home rather than enter a facility
- Eligible for Medicaid, FAMIS or VA benefits
- Need formal documentation of services to support waiver or long-term care applications
- Confusion about how to hire and supervise in-home caregivers
What helps
Understand each MCO's home-care benefits
The five MCOs share core Medicaid benefits, but their extra services and networks differ. Aetna Better Health offers consumer-directed services that allow members to hire and manage their own careworkers. Anthem HealthKeepers Plus provides long-term services and supports (LTSS) that cover assistance with daily activities like bathing, dressing, laundry and transportation.
Humana Healthy Horizons joined the program in 2025 and covers home health services, personal care, private duty nursing and respite care under its LTSS benefit. Sentara Health Plans' integrated network includes long-term support and offers extras like non-medical in-home support for grocery shopping, meal preparation and light housekeeping. UnitedHealthcare Community Plan provides home and community-based services that include personal care support, personal emergency response systems, medication monitoring, respite care and services facilitation.
Know your options for consumer-directed services
Consumer-directed (CD) services let the member or their representative hire, train and supervise their own caregiver instead of using an agency. Both Aetna and Anthem (through Public Partnerships LLC) allow participants to select and manage careworkers. However, there are limits: personal care or respite attendants can work up to 16 hours per day, and legally responsible individuals (like spouses or parents) may be limited to 40 paid hours per week.
Plan for respite and backup support
Respite services give primary caregivers a much-needed break. All five MCOs cover respite care through the CCC Plus waiver or LTSS benefits, though hours vary by program. An agency like Godaelli Home Health's respite care can step in when your family caregiver needs time away.
How Godaelli Home Health can help
Choosing an MCO is just the first step. You'll also need a reliable home care provider. Godaelli Home Health serves Northern Virginia and Stafford, offering personal care, companion care, respite care, and nutrition & wellbeing services that align with Medicaid waivers and private insurance. We accept plans from Anthem, Sentara, UnitedHealthcare, and other insurers.
To learn more or schedule a consultation, call 703-870-0738 or reach out via our contact page. Together we'll create a personalized plan that keeps your loved one safe, independent and thriving at home.
