Home Care in Tennessee

According to the most recent Genworth Cost of Care Survey, Tennessee’s in-home and home health care both have a median cost of $4,576 per month. Prices may vary throughout different areas in the state, and the type of care and aid programs you qualify for may influence these expenses. In-home care is non-medical care such as meal preparation, walking assistance, transportation and help with routine personal care. Home health care adds medical treatment through skilled nursing care performed at home.

The national average cost of in-home care is $4,957, and $5,148 for home health care. Compared with the national average, care in Tennessee is less expensive at a median cost of $4,576 for both types. However, neighboring states have lower prices. Home care in Kentucky costs about the same as in Tennessee, while both care types cost $4,385 per month in North Carolina. Georgia’s monthly average expense is $4,290 for in-home care and $4,385 for home health care. Mississippi has the lowest price at just $3,813 per month for both care types.

When considering your care cost, it’s important to understand what types of care are available. Depending on your needs, you may need adult day care, assisted living, nursing home care or home care. While an assisted living facility can save you about $400 per month compared with home care, many people want to keep their autonomy and connection with the community.

Adult day care costs about $1,733 per month, an assisted living facility may cost $4,105, and nursing home care for a semiprivate room could cost $7,148.

Medicaid is available for disabled Tennesseans or those over the age of 65 who require long-term care. While you can use Medicaid to pay for medical treatments often associated with skilled nursing care, it doesn’t cover home care costs directly. There are two waiver programs available that you may qualify for to reduce your expenses significantly: the CHOICES Program and the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly.

CHOICES

The Tennessee CHOICES program assists seniors and adults over the age of 21 who need long-term care and wish to live in an assisted care facility or their own homes. This type of waiver covers Home- and Community-Based Services (HBCS). Your local Area Agency on Aging and Disability can help you determine if you’re eligible and apply for the program.

Call (866) 836-6678 to connect with the office that serves your local area.

Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE)

The PACE program is only available for residents living in Hamilton County and offers coverage for anyone over the age of 55 who needs a nursing care level. To qualify for this waiver, you must prove that you can live in your home without any danger to your health or safety. It covers dental and vision care, assistive devices, adult day care, meal preparation, emergency care and home health care services.

It also pays for physical therapy, family caregiver respite programs, prescription medications, transportation and counseling services. If you have questions about the program or wish to apply, call (423) 495-9114.

Medicaid is available for low-income individuals with disabilities or who need long-term care they can’t afford. To qualify for Medicaid, your income must remain under the state threshold for your household size, and you’re not allowed to have sellable assets to pay for your care. The income limit for a single person is $30,276 per year, with an asset limit of $2,000. A couple’s income limit is $60,552 per year with no more than $4,000 in assets.

Tennessee Medicaid is called TennCare, and you can apply online and manage your coverage through your TennCare account. You can also call (855) 259-0701 to speak with a representative.

What Information You Will Need

• State-issued identification or passport
• Social Security card
• Income information
• Medical history
• Birth certificate

How to Get Help Applying for Medicaid

Applying for Medicaid can be stressful because if you provide inaccurate information or make an error on the application, it could delay your coverage. There are resources available for seniors who wish to apply for Medicaid.

Medicare doesn’t pay for non-medical home care, but it can cover the cost of the medical version of home care, called “Home Healthcare” in some situations. In order to be eligible, you need to be homebound and have a referral from your doctor for the specific type of medical care that is needed. There are also other restrictions that apply.

Below is an overview of some of the services typically covered by Medicare for those who are eligible:

• Physical Therapy: Physical therapy is used to help patients recover from injuries (broken bones, knee injuries, etc.), and to treat ongoing conditions such as arthritis. Additionally, physical therapy is often provided in the home to help seniors recover from surgeries and procedures, such as a knee or hip replacement.
• Nursing Care: Licensed nurses can provide a number of medical services (such as wound care, changing feeding tubes, etc.) for those who need medical care, but don’t need to stay in a hospital full-time.
• Occupational Therapy: Occupational therapy is designed to help seniors regain or maintain the ability to accomplish normal, daily tasks, such as bathing, dressing, eating, etc., and providers can travel to your home if needed.
• Speech Therapy: Seniors can lose the ability to adequately communicate for many reasons, and speech therapists are there to help seniors regain the ability to communicate using a variety of means. Additionally, speech therapists help to keep seniors independent by modifying diets and teaching special techniques to swallow safely.

As mentioned above, home care is distinctly different from home healthcare, but there is some overlap – so while Medicare doesn’t cover non-medical home care, there are personal care services that may be covered in special circumstances – such as an occupational therapist helping with eating or dressing.

Read our guide to Medicare and Home Care Coverage for more information.

While the above programs can be a great way to make home care affordable for many people, they are not the right solution for everyone. Thankfully, there are other ways to make home care more affordable for you and your family. For more information about your other options, read our section on Other Ways to Pay for this guide.

If you’ve chosen to age in place, there are resources available at the state and local levels to help you stay connected with your community, receive quality care and take legal action when your rights are violated. These services are often free or require minimal fees to remain affordable to anyone on a fixed or limited income.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) mandates that Tennessee health care workers must have received their full COVID-19 vaccination by March 21, 2022. Individual health care agencies may enact special measures that go beyond state-mandated protocols. In-home care aides and skilled nursing staff may wear masks and personal protection equipment and ask that family members social distance as additional measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, tuberculosis and influenza.

This information is current as of April 2022. As the pandemic progresses, these rules may change, so it’s important to check for current information about the measures to protect seniors throughout Tennessee.

The Tennessee Department of Health regulates and enforces rules for how its home health care agencies conduct business. Home care providers must adhere to state and federal regulations when providing care.

Whether you are looking for yourself or a loved one, finding a quality home care provider can be a stressful process. To help you overcome this challenge, we’ve created a helpful checklist below that can help guide you through the process of both determining your needs, and finding a home care agency that will be the best fit for you and your family.

Download PDF Here

Learn More About Home Care in Tennessee’s Top Cities

• Chattanooga
• Knoxville
• Memphis
• Nashville