How to Choose a Home Health Agency
Cmd+P / Ctrl+P to save as PDF

9 Questions to Ask When Choosing
a Home Health Agency

Bring to the intake call · Space for notes · Works with any agency

Each question has a precise right answer. Vague or evasive replies are their own answer. If the agency uses phrases like "we're highly rated," "that doesn't happen here," or "the family handles that" — ask a follow-up. A well-run agency can always be specific.

  1. Are you Medicare-certified and Florida-licensed — and what is your CMS Quality of Patient Care star rating?

    Good: Names a CCN, points to Care Compare, gives the exact star rating, and cites the AHCA license number. Red flag: "Highly rated" without a number, or conflates state licensure with Medicare certification.

  2. Will the same visiting nurse case-manage my parent throughout — or does the team rotate?

    Good: Names one RN case manager who stays on from admission to discharge. Red flag: "We have a great team" without a named contact.

  3. How often do home health aides change — and can the same aide be assigned to our case?

    Good: States the turnover rate, names the likely aide, explains the substitution policy. Red flag: "It depends on availability."

  4. What is your missed-visit rate, and what happens when a clinician or aide doesn't show?

    Good: Tracks the rate, has a written backfill policy, and a live 24-hour escalation line. Red flag: "That doesn't happen here."

  5. Who handles communication with my parent's physician — and how quickly?

    Good: The case manager calls the physician directly on any significant change, no family messenger required. Red flag: "We'll let you know what to tell the doctor."

  6. Is anyone on the team bilingual — and is written material available in Spanish?

    Good: Names bilingual clinicians and confirms Spanish-language patient education. Red flag: "We use Google Translate."

  7. What does discharge planning look like — how will I know when home health is ending?

    Good: Explains the 60-day certification period and that Medicare covers maintenance care, not just improvement. Red flag: "Medicare stops when she plateaus." (This is the Jimmo myth.)

  8. How do you handle the face-to-face encounter and the physician's signed plan of care?

    Good: The agency tracks the F2F paperwork and chases the signed POC — families never have to. Red flag: "You'll need to get that from the doctor."

  9. What is your 30-day hospital readmission rate — and what happens in the first seven days?

    Good: Cites the actual rate and describes front-loaded visits, medication reconciliation, and a clear escalation path. Red flag: "We do everything we can."