10 Questions to Ask Before Choosing a Home Health Agency

When my dad needed home health care after his stroke, the hospital gave us a list of three agencies. "They're all fine," the discharge planner said. She was wrong - we ended up switching agencies after two frustrating weeks with the first one.

The quality of home health care varies more than you'd expect. Asking the right questions upfront can save you the hassle of starting over with a new agency when you're already dealing with a health crisis.

1. Are you Medicare-certified?

This isn't just about whether Medicare will pay - it's about meeting basic quality standards. Medicare certification means the agency has met federal requirements for patient safety and care quality.

Even if you have private insurance or are paying out of pocket, stick with certified agencies. Non-certified agencies aren't held to the same standards.

2. What are your quality ratings?

Medicare publishes ratings for every certified agency. Go to medicare.gov/care-compare, search for home health agencies in your area, and look at two things: the quality of patient care rating (based on outcomes like how often patients improve) and the patient survey rating (based on what patients actually thought of their care).

A 3-star agency might be fine, but if there's a 4 or 5-star option available, it's worth knowing that before you choose.

3. Do you have experience with my condition?

This matters more than you might think. An agency that sees a lot of post-surgical patients might not be the best choice for complex wound care. Some agencies have specialty programs for cardiac patients, diabetics, or people recovering from orthopedic surgery.

Ask specifically: "How many patients like me do you typically serve? Do you have staff with extra training in this area?"

4. Will I have consistent caregivers?

Few things are more frustrating than having a different nurse show up every time. You have to re-explain everything, they don't know your situation, and it's hard to build trust.

Ask about their policy on caregiver consistency. Good agencies try to send the same people whenever possible. If they say "we can't guarantee anything," that's a red flag.

5. What's your on-call situation?

Health problems don't stick to business hours. You need to know what happens at 10 PM on a Saturday when something goes wrong.

Is there a nurse available 24/7? How quickly do they typically respond? Will someone actually come to your home if needed, or just give phone advice?

6. How quickly can you start?

If you're being discharged from the hospital tomorrow, you need an agency that can begin care immediately - not one with a two-week waiting list.

Ask about their current capacity and how soon they can schedule your first visit. Also ask what happens if your regular nurse gets sick or goes on vacation.

7. How do you communicate with families?

If you're the adult child of a patient, or the spouse handling all the logistics, you need to know what to expect.

Will they call you after visits? Is there a way to check in on how things are going? Can you attend visits or at least be present for the important ones?

Some agencies have patient portals or apps where you can see visit notes. Others rely entirely on phone calls. Figure out what works for your situation.

8. What's included in your services?

Get specific about what they provide. Do they coordinate with your doctor, or do you have to relay information yourself? Do they help arrange medical equipment? What about training family members to help with care?

Also ask what's not included. Are there extra charges for anything? What happens if you need a service they don't provide?

9. How do you handle problems?

Ask about their complaint process. It sounds pessimistic, but knowing how they deal with issues tells you a lot about the organization.

What do you do if you're unhappy with a caregiver? What if there's a billing dispute? What if you feel like you're not getting the care you need? A good agency will have clear answers, not vague reassurances.

10. Can I talk to references?

A confident agency won't hesitate to connect you with families who've used their services. Ask for references - ideally people who had similar conditions or needs.

If they won't provide references or seem cagey about it, consider that a warning sign.

Red Flags to Watch For

Beyond these questions, pay attention to your gut feelings. Be wary if they:

Pressure you to sign up immediately without answering your questions. Seem disorganized or confused about their own services. Can't explain their quality ratings or dismiss poor scores without real explanation. Won't give you anything in writing about what to expect.

The best agencies understand that you're trusting them with your health or your family member's health. They take that seriously and communicate accordingly.

One More Thing

You're not locked in forever. If you start with an agency and it's not working out, you can switch. It requires some paperwork and coordination, but it's absolutely possible.

Don't suffer through bad care because you think you're stuck. Life is too short, and good home health care makes too much difference.