How to choose a home health agency
The stars narrow the list; the questions decide. Use the CMS data on agency pages, then ask these questions before you sign a plan of care.
1. Check the star rating and the individual measures
CMS rates agencies 1–5 on quality-of-patient-care measures. Do not stop at the star: read the measures beside it. Most informative are improvement in walking, improvement in bathing, timely initiation of care and discharge to the community. For hospitalisation and emergency-department rates, lower is better.
2. Check the services you will need
Not every agency offers every service. Filter agency pages by nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech pathology, medical social services and home-health aide services. If the family needs a specialist service, confirm it is offered before starting.
3. Check ownership and experience
Agency pages show ownership (proprietary, non-profit, government) and the date the agency was first certified. Neither decides quality by itself — but a long certification history and a stable local organisation are useful context. CMS flags ownership changes separately where reported.
4. Ask these questions
- Which nurse or therapist will usually come, and can that stay consistent?
- Who answers the phone after hours and at weekends?
- What happens if I need a visit urgently — how fast is the response?
- How do you coordinate with my doctor, and how will I know the plan is changing?
- What will Medicare cover, and what will I be billed for?
- How do you handle hospital admissions or emergencies?
5. Confirm the paperwork
The agency must provide you written information about your care plan, rights and billing. Keep the Medicare "Advance Beneficiary Notice" every time it is offered — it tells you what might not be covered before you receive it.
Written and maintained by the US Home Health data team · last reviewed 2026-10-24 · sources and methodology.