Compliance
Do You Need a License to Run a Non-Medical Home Care Agency?
In most states, yes. How the license depends on the services you offer, what six states actually require, what applications ask for, and how to check your state.
Resources
Resources for home care agencies
Page 3 of 6.
General
Does a Home Care Agency Need an NPI Number?
Yes if you bill Medicaid, a Medicaid managed care plan or any health plan electronically. Private-pay-only agencies usually do not, but most get a Type 2 NPI from NPPES anyway.
EVV
Does EVV Apply to Private Pay Clients?
No. Federal EVV law covers only Medicaid personal care and home health visits. Private-pay, LTC insurance and VA visits are outside it, but verified visits still protect you on payroll and billing.
EVV
EVV Exception Codes and Visit Corrections
An EVV exception is a visit that did not verify cleanly. Fix it with the state's reason code, a note and approval, inside the correction window, and keep the original.
EVV
EVV for Home Health vs. Personal Care: Different Rules
The Cures Act set EVV deadlines of January 1, 2020 for Medicaid personal care and January 1, 2023 for home health. What differs, what is the same, and who is covered.
Scheduling
Free ADL Checklist for Home Care Visits (Printable)
A printable ADL and IADL checklist caregivers complete each visit, with assistance levels, a change-in-condition box, and notes on how to use it.
Scheduling
Free Caregiver Schedule Template (Weekly and Monthly)
Printable weekly and monthly caregiver schedule grids for home care agencies, with a backup caregiver per client and a weekly hours tally that flags overtime.
General
Google Business Profile for Home Care Agencies
Set up your agency's Google Business Profile with a service area instead of an address, the most specific category, real photos and a review process that follows Google and FTC rules.
Compliance
HIPAA Checklist for Home Care Agencies
A HIPAA checklist for home care agencies: risk analysis, policies, training, access, devices, BAAs, breach response, six-year records, with the rule for each.
Compliance
HIPAA for Non-Medical Home Care Agencies: Does It Apply to You?
HIPAA applies if you send electronic claims, not because of the care you give. How to tell if you're a covered entity, what it requires, and what to do either way.
Operations
Home Care Agency Insurance: Which Policies You Need
Home care agencies need general and professional liability, workers' comp, non-owned auto, a fidelity bond and cyber cover. What states require, with minimums.
Operations
Home Care Agency Profit Margins: What's Typical and What Moves Them
Gross vs. net margin for non-medical home care, a worked hour at the 2025 median rate and wage, and the five levers that move profit most.
General
Home Care Agency Startup Costs: A Line-by-Line Budget
What it costs to open a non-medical home care agency: real state license fees, insurance minimums, office, hiring, software and the working capital most owners underestimate.
Scheduling
Home Care Client Intake Checklist
Everything to collect before a new home care client's first visit: contacts, payer, needs assessment, home safety, preferences, schedule and signed documents.
General
Home Care Franchise vs. Starting Independent
A home care franchise costs a $40,000 to $60,000 fee plus 5% to 6% of revenue. Independent keeps every dollar but builds everything. How to decide.
Operations
Home Care Invoice Template for Private Pay Clients
A private-pay home care invoice lists every visit with date, caregiver, times, hours and rate. Sample invoice, the fields that matter, and how to get paid on time.
General
Home Care Marketing Ideas That Work Locally
Local and personal wins: weekly referral visits, a complete Google Business Profile with real reviews, a website that answers cost questions, community talks, and fast follow-up.
Operations
Home Care Payroll: How to Run It Accurately Every Week
Run home care payroll from verified hours: add travel, apply differentials, calculate overtime across clients, approve, export. The errors, taxes and records that matter.
Compliance
Home Care Policies and Procedures Manual: What to Include
Most licensing states require written home care policies. The 16 sections to include, what Texas, Washington and Pennsylvania require, and how to review them.
Operations
Home Care Rates by State: Private Pay and Medicaid
Non-medical home care cost a median $35 an hour in 2025. What drives state differences, what Medicaid pays for personal care in four states, and how to price your agency.
General
Home Care Referral Sources: Who Refers Clients and How to Earn It
The referral sources that send home care agencies clients, what each one needs from you, the anti-kickback rules on paying for referrals, and how to track what pays off.
Authorizations
How Do 15-Minute Medicaid Billing Units Work for Home Care?
Four units equal one hour. How to convert units to hours, the common HCPCS codes, how states round partial units, and how to stay inside the authorization.
EVV
How Do Caregivers Do EVV Without a Smartphone?
Federal EVV law does not require a smartphone. Caregivers can verify visits by telephony from the client's phone, a fixed device, or an agency-issued phone.
General
How Do Home Care Agencies Get More Reviews Without Breaking the Rules?
Ask every family directly after a good moment, never pay or filter, and reply to every review without confirming anyone is a client. Here is the process.