The home healthcare sector is one of the fastest-growing healthcare industries in the United States. In 2019, there were approximately 1.4 million people employed in home healthcare agencies across the US.
There is another option in providing nursing care in the home and that is Private Duty Home Health care. This choice of care provides a few skilled care options that Medicare does not pay for. I have seen this form of skilled home care grow when home health agencies fail to get accredited as a Medicare provider for various reasons. Some of these agencies provide care to people who cannot qualify for Medicare or Medicaid. The clients may be from another country who need care, therefore the Private Duty /private agencies can step in to provide the care the client needs.
If you are one of those individuals who is on the fence about starting an agency, you may want to think about having a private duty agency as an option.
I do have to tell you that a private-duty home health agency is not an easy agency to succeed in if you have no medical or nursing knowledge. The walls to start are low, but the walls to success can be tough to climb. You may have a lot of sleepless nights but years down the road you could reap a plentiful harvest if you operate your agency correctly.
A good step you may want to consider taking after getting licensing is to get accreditation from ACHC. It is not Medicare but you will be surveyed to assure that you are operating your agency within state and federal guidelines and regulations.
A private duty Home health agency field staff consists of nurses, therapists, and certified nurses’ aides/HHA who provide a range of medical and ADL services. Most of the clients are not eligible for Medicare but need homecare services. They may have Medicaid plus they could qualify for the Medicaid waiver programs. They are elderly and ill, disabled, bedridden, or struggling with Alzheimer’s disease and other cognitive issues. Or, younger with health insurance that pays for long-term care.
