Starting a Colorado Home Health or Home Care Agency?

This page presents three common startup paths:

• Colorado Medicare Home Health Agency — skilled home health services with Colorado approval and federal Medicare certification.
• Colorado Home Health Agency — skilled services without Medicare billing unless separately certified.
• Colorado Class B Home Care Agency — attendant care, homemaker, and companion services.

CDPHE licenses Home Health Agencies under Colorado Home Care Services Consumer Protection Act and 6 CCR 1011-1 Chapter 26 and separately licenses Class B Home Care Agencies under 6 CCR 1011-1 Chapter 26. Medicare certification is an additional federal pathway for qualifying Home Health Agencies.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) licenses both Class A and Class B Home Care Agencies.

Colorado publishes Home Care Agency fees in its annual health-facility fee schedule. The amount can change by fiscal year and agency type, so applicants should confirm the current Class A or Class B fee on CDPHE’s Facility Fees page before filing.

Requirements depend on the applicant, ownership structure, location, and proposed services. The application process generally requires:

• An account in Colorado’s current online health-facility licensing system.
• Agency, ownership, manager, and location details.
• Required documents and Colorado-specific policies.
• Attestation and payment through the Gateway workflow.

A Home Health Agency must designate qualified administrative and clinical leadership under 6 CCR 1011-1 Chapter 26. A Class B Home Care Agency identifies a manager in the CDPHE Gateway application and must maintain the management, personnel, screening, training, and supervision systems required by 6 CCR 1011-1 Chapter 26.

The application must identify the agency's location and any additional locations. The office must support administration and secure records and must satisfy applicable local zoning, lease, privacy, accessibility, and business requirements.

Processing time varies with application completeness, document review, applicant readiness, inspection scheduling, and correction of deficiencies. Medicare certification or accreditation adds separate steps. Home Health Forms does not guarantee a state or federal processing time.

A Colorado Class B Home Care Agency may provide attendant care, homemaker services such as housekeeping, shopping, laundry, meal planning and preparation, and companion services such as fellowship, transportation, mail reading, and escort services in the client’s residence.

Skilled nursing, therapy, and other therapeutic services require the appropriate Home Health Agency authority and professional personnel.

Colorado law and CDPHE application instructions require applicable criminal-history screening for owners, administrative staff, and direct-care personnel. The exact checks depend on the person's role and the governing program; applicants should use CDPHE's current Criminal History Check Information.

Colorado Home Care Services Consumer Protection Act contains defined exclusions and exemptions for certain arrangements and providers. A business should compare its actual services, workers, clients, and payment model with the current statute before relying on an exclusion.

Not solely because it holds Colorado licensure. An organization planning to seek federal certification must first obtain Colorado state licensure and then complete the applicable Medicare certification and enrollment process. Medicare-certified agencies must also comply with applicable federal Home Health Conditions of Participation.

Yes. Colorado applications and ongoing operations require policies appropriate to the license and services offered. CDPHE instructs Class B Home Care Agency applicants to upload only the policies requested in the application and to write them to the cited Colorado Code requirements. Home Health Foms offers policies and procedures that meet regulatory requirements to ensure your success.

Home Health Forms provides startup guidance, customized documents, and application-preparation assistance. CDPHE makes state licensing decisions, and the appropriate federal authorities determine Medicare certification.

The applicant remains responsible for truthful and complete information, qualified personnel, an appropriate office, financial and insurance requirements, fees, regulator requests, inspections, and ongoing compliance. Home Health Foms provides guidance and documents that meet regulatory requirements to ensure your success.

Customized policy manuals, forms, and related digital documents are generally emailed within five business days after Home Health Forms receives all company information needed to complete the customization. Other package components may have separate production timelines.

Cancellation and refund eligibility depends on the work already completed, customized materials produced, digital products delivered, third-party expenses paid, printing ordered, and other services already performed.