Florida Home Health Agency Complete Startup Package

This package is designed for an applicant seeking an initial Florida Home Health Agency license from the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA).

It covers Florida state licensure without Medicare certification. It is not a Medicare-certification, Medicaid-enrollment, nurse-registry, or homemaker-and-companion registration package.

A Florida Home Health Agency is an organization licensed to provide one or more home health services to patients in their homes or places of residence. Depending on the services approved on the license, the agency may provide nursing, therapy, home health aide, certified nursing assistant, homemaker, companion, and other authorized services using qualified personnel.

The Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) licenses and regulates Florida Home Health Agencies. The principal state requirements are found in Florida Statutes Chapter 400, Part III; Chapter 408, Part II; Florida Administrative Code Chapter 59A-8; and the applicable portions of Chapter 59A-35.

It means this package is for Florida state licensure only. The agency will not be prepared or represented as Medicare-certified through this package and may not bill Medicare merely because AHCA issues a state license.

Medicare certification involves a separate federal process, additional standards, enrollment requirements, and a certification survey.

Yes. A Florida state-licensed Home Health Agency may provide skilled services without Medicare certification if those services are listed on its license and it meets all applicable personnel, accreditation, clinical, and operational requirements.

The agency may instead choose to offer only non-skilled services. We customize the documents and application work to the service scope selected by the applicant.

The current AHCA application identifies services such as:

• Nursing, physical therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy, respiratory therapy, and IV therapy.
• Nutritional guidance, specified medical supplies, and medical social services.
• Home health aide, certified nursing assistant, homemaker, and companion services.

The agency should request only services it is prepared to staff, supervise, document, and provide in compliance with Florida law.

A Home Health Agency that provides skilled care must submit documentation of accreditation or an application for accreditation from an AHCA-recognized accrediting organization and must satisfy the applicable accreditation timetable.

A Home Health Agency that is not Medicare- or Medicaid-certified and provides only non-skilled care is exempt from the state accreditation requirement. Accreditation fees are not included in this startup package.

AHCA's current Home Health Agency application lists a $1,705 biennial licensure fee and a $300 biennial assessment, for a current total of $2,005.

Fees are nonrefundable and can change. Applicants should verify the current application and fee schedule before filing.

No. AHCA fees, background screening, fingerprinting, insurance, zoning documentation, CPA services, accreditation fees, legal or accounting services, and other third-party expenses are separate unless a written proposal expressly states otherwise.

Requirements depend on the ownership structure and requested services. The current application generally requests:

• Provider, licensee, ownership, controlling-interest, and management-company information.
• Administrator, alternate administrator, clinical personnel, financial officer, and safety liaison information.
• Requested counties, services, staffing disciplines, operating hours, and associated locations.
• Background-screening attestations and required disclosures.
• Proof of insurance, financial ability to operate, a business plan, legal right to occupy the office, and zoning approval.
• Accreditation documentation when the requested service scope requires it.

Initial applicants must demonstrate financial ability to operate. Florida law requires projected financial statements for the first two years, estimated startup costs and funding sources through break-even, and evidence that necessary funds will be available.

The projections must show at least three months of average projected expenses for startup costs, working capital, and contingency needs, with contingency funding of at least one month of average projected expenses. The required financial documents must be prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and signed by a certified public accountant.

The application identifies an administrator and alternate administrator for the agency. Agencies providing skilled services generally identify a Director of Nursing and Alternate Director of Nursing, both of whom must meet the applicable registered-nurse and supervisory-experience requirements.

An agency providing only non-skilled services must identify a Florida registered nurse to perform required supervisory visits and provide supervision and oversight of home health aides and certified nursing assistants.

The current AHCA application recognizes a physician, physician assistant, registered nurse, or an individual with at least one year of supervisory or administrative experience in home health care or a qualifying licensed hospital, nursing home, or assisted living facility.

Personnel qualifications and outside-employment limitations should be verified against the current statute, rule, and application before filing.

Yes. Florida law requires a Home Health Agency to obtain and maintain malpractice insurance and liability insurance of at least $250,000 per claim. Proof of coverage is required with the initial licensure application and renewal applications.

The initial application requires proof of the legal right to occupy the principal office and documentation from the appropriate local government showing that the location meets zoning requirements. A business tax receipt alone does not substitute for the required zoning documentation.

Applicants should confirm that the lease, local zoning rules, deed restrictions, and homeowners-association rules permit the proposed use before committing to a location.

Florida background-screening requirements apply to specified owners, controlling interests, administrators, financial officers, and personnel whose duties involve direct care, access to patients, patient property, funds, or living areas. The exact screening route depends on the individual's role and prior screening status.

AHCA generally has 30 days after receiving an application to identify apparent errors or omissions. Requested omitted information generally must be submitted within 21 days, or the application may be withdrawn and the fees forfeited. AHCA generally must approve or deny a complete application within 60 days.

Total startup time can be longer because of background screening, insurance, zoning, financial preparation, accreditation, inspection, corrections, and other applicant-specific requirements.

The package includes the components listed on this page, including:

• Logo creation.
• A custom WordPress website, one year of hosting, and one year of domain registration.
• Design and printing of 500 tri-fold brochures and 500 business cards.
• Florida-specific policy, human-resources, admission, clinical, and operational documents customized to the selected service scope.
• Preparation assistance for the Florida AHCA Home Health Agency application.
• Member's-area access, document updates, and ongoing startup guidance.

• AHCA licensure and assessment fees.
• Medicare certification or Medicaid enrollment.
• Accreditation-organization fees or survey fees.
• CPA-prepared financial statements, insurance, background screening, fingerprinting, zoning, or local permit expenses.
• Legal, tax, accounting, payroll, staffing, or other professional services not specifically listed as included.

No. Home Health Forms provides customized documents, startup guidance, and application-preparation assistance. AHCA and any applicable accrediting organization make all licensing and accreditation decisions. The applicant remains responsible for accurate information, qualified personnel, fees, screening, insurance, financial documentation, signatures, responses, and ongoing compliance.

Customized manuals, forms, and related digital documents are generally emailed within five business days after Home Health Forms receives all information needed for customization. Application preparation, website development, printing, shipping, accreditation coordination, and other components may have separate timelines.

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