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Home Health Agencies

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Home Health Agencies are public agencies or private organizations that provide skilled nursing services and at least one other home health service.  The services provided to a person at his or her residence are accordance to a plan of treatment for illness or infirmity prescribed by a physician or podiatrist.

OASIS Basics and Update Training

IDPH is offering an OASIS Education Session for Home Health providers on April 29 and April 30, 2019 at the James R. Thompson Center (JRTC), JRTC Conference Room 9-031 at 100 W. Randolph Street, Chicago, IL  60601 from 9 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. This session will be covering the OASIS D Basics and Updates information for Home Health Agencies.  Home Health Agencies are encouraged to limit representatives to no more than two in order to allow maximum Agencies to participate.  There is no cost for attendance; however, advanced registration is required as space is limited.  NOTE: Attendees must have a valid state ID to enter the building.  Please contact the Office of health Care Regulation, Division of Health Care Facilities and Programs at 312/793-2222 for more information and/or to register for this event.

How to Become Medicare Certified

Home Health Agency Medicare Certification

Complaints

For information on filing a complaint or checking the status of a current complaint, please visit our complaint section.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the process to obtain a license?

The applicant shall review the Home Health, Home Services and Home Nursing Agency Code Adm. Code 245 to determine which license reflects the services that the agency /business will provide.  The applicant shall complete the initial licensing application located in the Forms.  The Department has 60 days to conduct an initial review of the application and will contact the applicant for revisions to be submitted for an acceptable application. Upon approval of the application the Department will send a letter requesting, a letter from the applicant as to the agency’s readiness for on onsite. The Department will schedule an on onsite survey with the applicant to ensure the agency meets the regulations under Home Health, Home Services and Home Nursing Agency Code Adm. Code 245.

Can an agency apply for multiple licenses (i.e. Home Health, Home Services, Home Nursing and or Placement agencies)?

Yes the applicant shall complete the initial application and select all of the licenses the agency is applying for on page 2 of the application and shall pay the higher of the licensure fees applicable. A home nursing agency or a home service agency shall pay a licensure fee not to exceed $1500.  The fee is not refundable. A home nursing placement agency or home services placement agency shall pay a licensure fee not to exceed $500.  The fee is not refundable.  Home Health Agencies.  For a single home health agency license only, each initial and renewal application shall be accompanied by a license fee of $25. The fee is not refundable.

What is the process for an agency to expand the geographical service area to service clients/patients?

The agency must seek approval from the Department prior to caring for clients in a new county.  The agency shall submit the information outlined on the Forms “Home Health Agency Add or Remove Geographic Service Area” to the Department contact information below.  

Branch Office – a location or site from which an agency provides services within a portion of the total geographic area served by the parent agency.  The branch office is part of the agency and is located sufficiently close to share administration, supervision and services in a manner that renders it unnecessary for the branch to be independently licensed. To apply for a branch office  complete the “Home Health Agency Questionnaire” under the forms and submit to the Department the contact information on this page.

What is considered a change of ownership?

License Nontransferable

  1. Each license shall be issued only for the specific agency named in the application and shall not be transferred or assigned to any other person, agency or corporation.
  2. Sale, assignment, lease or other transfer, voluntary or involuntary, shall require relicensure by the new owner prior to maintaining, operating or conducting an agency.
  3. In the case of agencies operating under a franchise arrangement, each unique business entity shall obtain and maintain a distinct license and shall not share licensure based on franchised name status.
  4. A licensee shall notify the Department in writing at least 30 days in advance of any intention to:
    • Change ownership; or
    • Sell its agency.
  5. A change of ownership happens when one of the following transactions occurs:
    • In an unincorporated sole proprietorship, when the property is transferred to another party;
    • A material change in a partnership that is caused by the removal, addition, or substitution of a partner;
    • In a corporation, when the provider corporation merges into another corporation, or the consolidation of two or more corporations, one of which is the licensee, resulting in the creation of a new corporation; of
    • The transfer of any corporation stock that results in a change of the person or persons who control the agency, or
    • The transfer of any stock in excess of 75 percent of the outstanding stock.
  6. Pursuant to subsection (d)(5)(C), the transfer of corporate stock or the merger of another corporation into the licensee corporation does not constitute a change of ownership if the licensee corporation remains in existence. In these transactions, the name of the corporation, its officers, its independent subsidiaries, and any other relevant information that the Department may require shall be made available to the Department upon request.
  7. If a sale of an agency causes a change in the person or persons who control or operate the agency, the agency is considered a new agency, and the licensee shall apply for a new license and shall comply with this Part and any other applicable State and federal rules.
  8. Whenever ownership of an agency is sold from the person or organization named on the license to another person or organization, the new owner shall apply for a new license. The new owner shall file an application for license on the renewal/change of ownership application at least 45 days prior to the sale.
  9. The Department shall issue a new license to a new owner who meets the requirements for licensure under this Part. The transactions described in this Section shall not be complete until the Department issues a new license to the new person, legal entity, or partnership. The former licensee shall return its license to the Department by certified mail.

What is required for a relocation of the health care provider?

The health care provider shall complete the IDPH “Facility Information Change Form” prior to the relocation and submit to the Department.  If the Health Care Provider is Medicare certified then the provider shall also complete Medicare Provider enrollment form A and submit to their Medicare fiscal intermediary.

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