Home Health Agencies

What is home health?

Home health is medical care a doctor orders for you. It happens at home, not in a clinic or hospital. A nurse or therapist comes to you.

Most home health is paid for by Medicare. The agency must be certified by Medicare to bill it. Every agency on this site that is Medicare-certified shows up under Home Health.

People often start home health after they leave the hospital. The doctor wants them to keep healing at home with help. Home health is short-term, not forever.

Who can get home health?

Medicare pays for home health if all of these are true:

• A doctor says you need it
• You need skilled care, like nursing or therapy
• You are mostly homebound (it is hard for you to leave home)
• The agency is Medicare-certified

You do not have to be over 65 to get it. If you have Medicare and meet the rules above, you qualify.

How is home health paid for?

Most people pay nothing out of pocket. If you have Original Medicare and you qualify, Medicare pays the full cost of approved care.

Medicare Advantage plans cover home health too, but the rules are sometimes different. Call your plan to ask what is covered.

Medicaid covers home health in every state, but the rules change by state. Some people use private insurance or pay out of pocket if Medicare says no.

Home health vs. home care

People mix these up all the time. They are not the same thing.

What does home health do?

Home health agencies bring trained people to your home. They do real medical work you would normally get at a clinic. The kinds of help include:

Find home health near you

Pick your state to see Medicare-certified agencies. We list every agency in our database.

Don’t see your state? Search any state at homecareatlas.com/agencies.

How to pick a home health agency

Here’s what to look for:

• Medicare-certified. The agency must have a CMS Certification Number (CCN). Without it, they can’t bill Medicare.
• Star rating. CMS rates every certified agency on quality of care. We show this on every listing. Aim for 3.5 stars or higher.
• RN coverage. Ask if a nurse is reachable nights and weekends. Things go wrong outside normal hours too.
• Services offered. Make sure they cover what your doctor ordered: nursing, PT, OT, speech, social work, or aide.
• Accreditation. CHAP, ACHC, or Joint Commission. Optional but a good sign.