Starting a Home Care Agency in New York

According to the Census Bureau, the 65+ population will almost double compared to in 2012. With a rapidly aging population and the desire to remain at the home, there hasn’t been a better time to start a home care company.

When starting a home care agency, it is important to first understand the different type of care that can be provided.

Certified Home Health Agency (CHHA) vs Licensed Home Care Service Agency (LHCSA)

The difference between a CHHA and a LHCSA is that CHHAs are allowed to bill Medicare where LHCSAs can only work with Medicaid, private insurance, and private-pay. Typically, CHHAs provide short-term, intermittent skilled nursing services (for example after a hospital discharge) while LHCSAs provide routine, longer-term home health aide services, however there are some overlaps between the two.

To get licensed as a CHHA in NY, it is necessary to first go through a Certificate of Need (CON) application. The CON review process is very lengthy and there is no guarantee that it will be accepted. On the other hand, as of now LHCSAs do not need to go through a CON review process.

LHCSA Licensing 

In order to provide home care services in NY, it is required that you get licensed through the Department of Health (DOH). Becoming a licensed agency in NY can be a lengthy and frustrating process as the review goes through multiple steps.

You can submit an application through the New York State Electronic Certificate of Need system. Note that despite being called a CON system it is not required to go through a CON application for a LHCSA.

We are very familiar with the licensing process and we can provide guidance on the application process and electronic system, documentations, and NYS policy and procedure manuals.

About us

We have hands-on experience building and growing a home care agency from scratch. Coming from a non-health background we also understand how to break into the market and what it takes to run a successful agency.

If you are interested in our services or have any questions reach out to us at homecaresetup@gmail.com or check out our website at http://www.newtconsulting.com/.