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Medicare Quality Data
Quality of Care and Patient Surveys

  2. Medicare Quality Data

Percentage of Home Care Agencies that Accept Medicare

It is important to remember that not all home care agencies will accept Medicare. For this reason, the measures are not available for all home care providers.



It is difficult to determine exactly what percentage of home health care agencies accept Medicare because there is no complete nation-wide list of agencies. According to our data, approximately 35% of home care agencies in the U.S. are certified by Medicare. Realize that while Medicare provides a great deal of data about certain agencies, those agencies are also likely to be the type with trained nursing staff and therapists. If that isn't the type of care you or your loved one needs, be sure to examine all home care agencies in your area.

Medicare Quality of Care Process and Outcome Measures

The Quality of Care data has been obtained from Medicare and can be used to review performance of Medicare-certified agencies in your area, to compare agencies with one another and to help you make a more informed decision regarding your home heath care needs.

The Quality of Care includes Process Measures and Outcome Measures. Process Measures can tell you how often a home health care agency gave the recommended care such as checking patients for depression at the beginning of an episode of care. A rate of 90% means that the home care agency provided the recommended process 90% of their episodes of care.

Outcome Measures report on the results of the care the agency provided. For example, by the end of an episode of care, did the patient's ability to move improve? A rate of 88% means that the agency achieved that outcome in 88% of their episodes of care.

Medicare Patient Surveys

Understand Ratings Details
Understand Ratings Details

The patient survey data is collected by Medicare through the Home Health Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HHCAHPS) program. The data has been collected from patients, their families, and their friends on a nationwide since the fall of 2009.

Responses are gathered by mail, telephone, or a combination by organizations trained by the Federal government. Each patient is randomly selected from all patients who have had two or more visits from the home health agency in the past 2 months. Agencies are not allowed to pick which patients receive the survey.

The program recognizes that some agencies may serve different types of patients from other agencies. These differences are taken into account when the data is analyzed. Patients that receive hospice care or list "maternity" as their primary reason for receiving home care are not considered. This practice, as well as making sure every patient receives the same survey, ensures that the results compare agencies fairly.

About Patient Responses

MeasureMeaning
Professional Care
  • There were no problems with the home health care
  • Providers were always gentle
  • Providers were always respectful
  • Providers were always up-to-date about the patient's treatment
Communicated Well
  • Explained services before giving them
  • Gave advice promptly
  • Always said when staff would arrive
  • Always explained things clearly
  • Always listened carefully
Discussed medicines, pain, and home safety
  • Discussed all of these topics
Gave Their Agency a Rating of 9 or 10
  • 0 is for the worst home care possible
  • 10 is for the best home care possible
Would Recommend to Friends/Family
  • The percentage that said yes to recommending the agency

Current Evaluation Periods

The data we show on the site is the latest available quality data provided by Medicare. The surveys are only performed periodically and the site updates as new data become available.

MeasureDate Range
Did the home health team discuss medicines, pain, and home safety with patientsJuly 1, 2016 to June 30, 2017
For patients with diabetes, how often the home health team got doctor s orders, gave foot care, and taught patients about foot careApril 1, 2016 to March 31, 2017
HHCAHPS Survey Summary Star RatingJuly 1, 2016 to June 30, 2017
How do patients rate the overall care from the home health agencyJuly 1, 2016 to June 30, 2017
How often home health patients had to be admitted to the hospitalApril 1, 2016 to March 31, 2017
How often home health patients, who have had a recent hospital stay, had to be re-admitted to the hospitalApril 1, 2014 to March 31, 2017
How often home health patients, who have had a recent hospital stay, received care in the hospital emergency room without being re-admitted to the hospitalApril 1, 2014 to March 31, 2017
How often patients breathing improvedApril 1, 2016 to March 31, 2017
How often patients wounds improved or healed after an operationApril 1, 2016 to March 31, 2017
How often patients got better at bathingApril 1, 2016 to March 31, 2017
How often patients got better at getting in and out of bedApril 1, 2016 to March 31, 2017
How often patients got better at taking their drugs correctly by mouthApril 1, 2016 to March 31, 2017
How often patients got better at walking or moving aroundApril 1, 2016 to March 31, 2017
How often patients had less pain when moving aroundApril 1, 2016 to March 31, 2017
How often patients receiving home health care needed any urgent, unplanned care in the hospital emergency room - without being admitted to the hospitalApril 1, 2016 to March 31, 2017
How often the home health team began their patients care in a timely mannerApril 1, 2016 to March 31, 2017
How often the home health team checked patients risk of fallingApril 1, 2016 to March 31, 2017
How often the home health team checked patients for depressionApril 1, 2016 to March 31, 2017
How often the home health team gave care in a professional wayJuly 1, 2016 to June 30, 2017
How often the home health team made sure that their patients have received a flu shot for the current flu seasonApril 1, 2016 to March 31, 2017
How often the home health team made sure that their patients have received a pneumococcal vaccine (pneumonia shot)April 1, 2016 to March 31, 2017
How often the home health team taught patients (or their family caregivers) about their drugsApril 1, 2016 to March 31, 2017
How well did the home health team communicate with patientsJuly 1, 2016 to June 30, 2017
Star Rating for health team communicated well with themJuly 1, 2016 to June 30, 2017
Star Rating for health team gave care in a professional wayJuly 1, 2016 to June 30, 2017
Star Rating for how patients rated overall care from agencyJuly 1, 2016 to June 30, 2017
Star Rating team discussed medicines, pain, and home safetyJuly 1, 2016 to June 30, 2017
Would patients recommend the home health agency to friends and familyJuly 1, 2016 to June 30, 2017
Carol Marak
Carol Marak

After seven years of helping her aging parents, Carol Marak has become a dedicated senior care writer. Since 2007, she has been doing the research to find answers to common concerns: housing, aging and health, staying safe and independent, and planning long-term.