Starting a Maine Home Health or Personal Care Agency?

• Maine Home Health Care Service — holds a state license and does not pursue federal certification.
• Medicare-certified Home Health Agency — holds a Maine license and completes federal enrollment, survey, and certification requirements.
• Maine Personal Care Agency — holds a separate license to furnish non-medical home care services under 10-144 CMR Chapter 129.

Home Health and personal assistance have different enrollment, service-scope, personnel, oversight, and continuing-compliance requirements.

Yes. Every Home Health Agency and Home Health Care Service provider must be licensed by Maine DHHS. State law prohibits a home health care provider from furnishing home health services without a written department license.

The agency establishes its business, location, leadership, insurance, staffing, policies, and operations; submits the Maine DHHS Home Health application, supporting documents, and fee; completes Medicare enrollment through CMS-855A or PECOS; and becomes ready for the applicable state-agency or approved accreditation survey.

Maine defines a home health care provider as a business entity providing acute, restorative, rehabilitative, maintenance, preventive, or health-promotion services through professional nursing or another therapeutic service in a client's residence, subject to statutory exclusions.

Only after the agency completes enrollment and certification requirements and receives an effective Medicare certification date. MaineCare likewise requires its own provider enrollment before covered claims can be paid.

The Maine DHHS Division of Licensing and Certification licenses Home Health Agencies and Home Health Care Services and performs applicable federal certification surveys. CMS establishes Medicare requirements, and an approved accreditor may provide a deemed-status survey pathway.

No. Maine Home Health licensure, Medicare certification, and MaineCare provider enrollment are separate. MaineCare maintains its own enrollment and revalidation process.

A licensed Personal Care Agency provides non-medical home care services, including assistance with activities of daily living and related tasks. Maine DHHS examples include mobility, transfers, dressing, eating, toileting, bathing, personal hygiene, household tasks, shopping, laundry, cleaning, and medication reminders.

No. A Personal Care Agency is licensed under Title 22 §1717 and Chapter 129 to furnish non-medical home care. A Home Health Agency or Home Health Care Service provider is separately licensed under Chapter 419 and may provide nursing or other therapeutic services.

The applicant completes the Maine DHHS online Personal Care Agency license application and submits the documentation and nonrefundable fee specified in the application and Chapter 129. A qualifying new operator may receive a provisional license for three to twelve months.

Yes. Personal Care Agencies must conduct comprehensive background checks for direct-access personnel and their immediate supervisors and check the Maine Registry of Certified Nursing Assistants and Direct Care Workers for required workers and supervisors before hiring.

Maine may issue provisional, full, or conditional licenses. A provisional license may last three to twelve months, a full license may last up to twenty-four months, and a conditional license specifies required corrections and a compliance timeline.

The agency uses the Maine DHHS online Personal Care Agency application and submits the required renewal documentation and fee before expiration. Continued compliance with Chapter 129 is required throughout the license term.

• Logo creation and a customized WordPress website.
• One year of website hosting and domain registration.
• 500 business cards and 500 tri-fold brochures.
• Maine-specific policy manuals, human-resources documents, admission documents, and operational forms.
• Maine DHHS Home Health or Personal Care Agency licensing preparation and, for the HHA package when selected, CMS enrollment and Medicare certification preparation.
• Members' area access, customization, ongoing guidance, and applicable updates.

No. State and federal filing fees, entity and business licensing, Medicare or MaineCare enrollment, accreditation, background checks, insurance, office, personnel, survey expenses, software, mailing, and other government or third-party costs are separate unless expressly included in writing.

Home Health Forms provides customized documents, startup guidance, and preparation assistance. Maine DHHS, the Division of Licensing and Certification, MaineCare, CMS, survey organizations, accreditors, and payers make their own decisions. Applicants remain responsible for accurate information, qualified personnel, fees, operational readiness, service delivery, billing, 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 all information needed for customization is received. Website development, printing, shipping, and other package components may have separate timelines.

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