Know which care you need. Skilled home health is for ordered nursing and therapy. Personal home care helps with daily tasks such as bathing and meals.
Compare 10 providers, not a national ranking. This list includes skilled and nonmedical agencies. The right local option depends on services and your ZIP code.
Check each local office. Confirm the state license or Medicare certification, staff, care area, and available visits.
Review ratings carefully. Medicare star ratings are for Medicare-certified skilled home health agencies, not all personal care providers.
Ask for clear cost details. Check coverage, care hours, and written estimates before choosing an agency.
Looking for the top 10 home health agencies near me? First decide if your relative needs skilled nursing or therapy, or daily help with bathing, meals, and moving safely. Then compare agencies that serve your ZIP code. This guide lists ten organizations to research. It is not a ranking by clinical results, and not every provider serves every area.
Source review — November 6, 2026: Medicare coverage and New York agency types were cross-checked against official public sources. Confirm each provider’s local services, license or certification, and availability before choosing.
10 Home Health and Home Care Agencies to Compare
These are ten providers to compare, not the ten highest-rated local agencies. Cottage Home Care is listed first because it publishes this guide; the other nine appear in alphabetical order. The list includes skilled home health and nonmedical personal care, which are different services. Always check whether a provider serves your ZIP code and whether its local office offers the care your family needs.
How we made this list
We selected organizations with publicly described home-care or home-health services. We show each service type and link to the provider, state licensing records, or Medicare Care Compare. We did not rate these ten local offices, review their current staffing, or score their quality. Use this list as a starting point before checking the provider closest to your home.
Provider Types at a Glance
Provider
Main care type
What to confirm nearby
Cottage Home Care
Personal care (New York LHCSA)
NY license and local service area
Amedisys
Skilled home health
Medicare listing and service area
BAYADA Home Health Care
Skilled home health; other care lines
Local branch and care type
BrightStar Care
Personal care; some skilled nursing
Local branch and service type
CenterWell Home Health
Skilled home health
Medicare listing and local branch
Elara Caring
Skilled home health; some personal care
Local office and service type
Enhabit Home Health & Hospice
Skilled home health
Medicare listing and local branch
Interim HealthCare
Skilled and personal care by location
Local office and service type
Visiting Angels
Nonmedical personal care
State license and service area
VNS Health
Skilled home health; personal care in NY
Local plan and care services
1. Cottage Home Care
Care type: Licensed home care services in New York. Cottage offers Home Health Aide (HHA) and Personal Care Aide (PCA) support with daily tasks such as bathing, dressing, preparing meals, and moving safely at home. We also help families talk through care needs, a care plan, caregiver matching, and next steps. New York State’s agency directory lists Cottage Homecare Services as a Licensed Home Care Services Agency (LHCSA) with offices in Hicksville and Jamaica. Cottage has served families since 2019.
New York areas: The state's Queens-area directory lists the Jamaica office serving New York City and Westchester. The Suffolk directory lists the Hicksville office for Nassau and Suffolk. Share your ZIP code to confirm service and intake options.
What happens when you contact Cottage?
Tell us your ZIP code and what daily help is needed.
Share your preferred hours, language, and payment plan.
Our team can explain available services, the intake process, and the next care-planning steps.
2. Amedisys
Type: Skilled home health. Nurse visits, therapy and aide care for people who qualify.
Type: Personal care and skilled nursing, by location. Offers in-home personal care and nursing through participating local offices. Check which services the office provides.
Type: Skilled home health and personal care, by location. Provides skilled home health services. Some locations also offer personal care. Verify your local branch.
Next step: Choose two or three providers that serve your ZIP code. Check the local office, ask about staff and payment options, and compare the answers side by side.
To find home health agencies near you, search for offices that cover your ZIP code and offer the right type of care. Medicare-certified home health agencies can be compared using public quality scores; nonmedical agencies should be checked through state licensing records. A nearby address alone does not mean the agency can staff your home.
Licensed nurses and therapists through an eligible agency
Personal home care
Bathing, dressing, meals, moving safely
Home health aides, personal care aides, and caregivers
Private-duty nursing
Ongoing nursing tasks when medically needed
Licensed nurses under a care plan
Many families use more than one service. An aide helps with daily tasks. A nurse handles skilled medical tasks, such as injections, wound care, and changes to prescribed treatment. Ask the care team which staff are right for each task.
How to Check Medicare Ratings and State Licenses
To compare home health agency ratings near you, start with the specific office, not a brand-wide score. Medicare Care Compare shows quality and patient-experience measures for Medicare-certified skilled home health agencies. State licensing records help you check personal care agencies. Neither source replaces questions about current staffing and services.
Medicare certification: Search Care Compare for skilled home health agencies and their ratings.
Staff and hours: Ask which trained staff can serve your ZIP code and when visits may start.
Care plan: Ask who reviews your relative’s needs and updates the plan.
Payment: Ask what your plan covers and request costs in writing.
Ratings show parts of care quality. A call to the local office can help you learn about current staff, hours, and payment.
Medicare explains how it measures home health quality star ratings. Those ratings apply to Medicare-listed skilled home health agencies and should be checked for the specific office.
10 Questions to Ask Before You Choose an Agency
Use this home health agency comparison checklist when you call two or three offices. Ask the same questions so the answers are easy to compare.
Do you serve my ZIP code? When could visits begin?
Which services do you offer: skilled home health, personal care, or both?
Can your team help with the tasks in our care plan?
Which insurance plans do you accept? Do you offer private-pay care?
What referral or care assessment is needed?
Who will provide care? What training do they have?
How do you plan visits and arrange backup staff?
Who can my family call with a care question?
Can we review the written care plan, costs, and schedule?
How do we request more hours or a change in caregiver?
Easy way to compare: Ask the same ten questions at two or three local offices. Keep the answers on one page.
How Much Does Home Care Cost Near Me?
The cost of home care depends on where you live, the kind of care, and the hours you need. A clear quote helps you plan.
Private-pay care: Ask for the hourly rate, shift minimum, weekend rate, and total weekly cost.
Medicaid care: Ask about the state's approved home care services and care assessment process.
Private insurance: Check the plan’s home care benefits and agency network.
Medicare home health: Check the skilled care and coverage rules in the next section.
Quick cost check: Ask each agency to price the same visit schedule, such as three hours a day, five days a week. This helps you compare quotes fairly.
Short-term help: Do you need a break from daily care? Ask if the local agency offers respite visits. Check the visit hours, total cost, and payment rules. Some families use a few hours of help to support safe living at home.
Does Medicare Pay for Home Health Care?
Yes, Original Medicare covers certain skilled home health services for people who qualify. These may include part-time or intermittent nursing, physical therapy, and other ordered skilled care. Medicare does not cover long-term personal care when bathing, dressing, or other daily tasks are the only help needed.
To get covered care, you must need skilled help at home. You must meet Medicare homebound rules. A health care provider must order the care. A Medicare-certified agency must give it.
Medicare can also cover some part-time aide care while the person is receiving covered skilled care. For ongoing daily help with bathing, dressing, or meals alone, families can explore Medicaid programs, long-term care insurance, or private-pay care.
Hours: Medicare often covers up to 8 hours per day, or 28 hours a week, of skilled nursing and aide care combined. In some cases, it may cover up to 35 hours a week for a short time. The care plan sets the visits.
A safe return home begins with a clear discharge plan. Ask the hospital team which visits, daily tasks, and supplies will be needed.
Get the written discharge plan and medicine list.
Confirm referrals for nursing and therapy when ordered.
Plan help with meals, bathing, stairs, and bathroom trips.
Confirm the first visit date and agency phone number.
Check the plan for medical equipment and follow-up care.
A nurse may visit for skilled care. A home care aide can support daily routines between visits. For local steps, read After Hospital Care in New York.
What New York Families Should Check
In New York, a Certified Home Health Agency (CHHA) and a Licensed Home Care Services Agency (LHCSA) have different roles. Choose the agency type based on the tasks your relative needs and how the care will be paid for. Cottage is registered as an LHCSA, not a CHHA.
Certified Home Health Agency (CHHA): Helps eligible people get skilled nursing, therapy, and related home health services.
Licensed Home Care Services Agency (LHCSA): Provides approved home care services, including aide help, based on the agency's licensed services and the care plan.
These five features can help you feel informed when you speak with a home care agency. They also make it easier to plan visits, costs, and day-to-day help.
Easy-to-check credentials: The office shares its state license or Medicare certification details.
Clear staff roles: The team explains which tasks aides, nurses, and therapists provide.
Clear payment steps: The office checks your plan and gives written cost details.
A written care plan: You can review tasks, hours, and care goals.
Reliable contact: You know whom to call for schedule changes and care questions.
A good first call gives you clear answers and a useful next step. For urgent medical needs, call 911.
Explore Daily Home Care With Cottage Home Care
Cottage Home Care helps New York families plan support for daily life. Our team can talk with you about bathing, dressing, moving safely, meal help, preferred language, visit hours, and payment options. You can also check Cottage Homecare Services in New York State’s licensed agency directory.
To begin, tell our team your ZIP code, the tasks your relative needs help with, and your preferred schedule. Share your Medicaid plan or private-pay preference, if known. We can explain Cottage’s service options and the steps to review your care needs. If skilled nursing or therapy is needed, your medical team can help arrange the right referral.
Start with one helpful call. Talk with Cottage Home Care about your family's daily care needs and how to take the next step.
Interested in becoming a caregiver? Cottage Home Care also recruits home care workers. See current New York caregiver openings, then ask the hiring team about training, work hours, and the pay offered for the role and location.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best home health agency near me?+
The best choice fits your location, care needs, and payment plan. If you need daily aide support in New York, Cottage Home Care is a state-licensed option. For skilled nursing or therapy, compare Medicare-certified agencies by ZIP code.
How were these ten agencies selected?+
Cottage Home Care is featured first because it publishes this guide and knows its New York services firsthand. The nine other providers are listed alphabetically. Each listing gives a care type and source link, so you can compare local offices and public records.
How do I find a Medicare-certified home health agency?+
Open Medicare Care Compare. Enter your ZIP code and choose home health agencies. Look at office details and quality data. Ask your doctor which care is needed.
What is the difference between home health and home care?+
Home health care often provides skilled nursing or therapy. Personal home care helps with bathing, dressing, meals, and other daily tasks. A person may need both.
Does Medicare pay for a caregiver at home?+
Medicare can cover some aide care as part of eligible skilled home health services. For ongoing personal care alone, ask about Medicaid, long-term care insurance, and private-pay options.
How many home health hours can Medicare cover?+
For covered skilled nursing and home health aide services combined, Medicare usually allows up to 8 hours a day and 28 hours per week. Up to 35 hours per week may apply for a short time. Read the official Medicare rules and ask about your care plan.
Which home care tasks need a nurse?+
Aides help with daily care tasks in their training and plan. Licensed nurses handle skilled tasks such as injections, wound treatment, and changes to prescribed medical treatment.
How much does a home care agency cost?+
Your cost depends on care needs, visit hours, location, and the payment plan. Ask each office for its hourly rate, visit minimum, weekend fees, and total weekly price. Check your Medicaid or private insurance benefits where relevant.
Can home care start after a hospital discharge?+
Yes, once the care plan, service area, staff, and needed referrals are confirmed. Ask the hospital team and agency about the first visit date.
Can Medicaid help pay for home care?+
Medicaid may cover approved home care for people who meet state and program rules. Ask the Medicaid plan or local agency about a care assessment and next steps.
Do all ten home health agencies serve my ZIP code?+
No. These are ten organizations to research, not a list of ten providers verified for your address. Use Medicare Care Compare for certified home health care, or your state licensing directory for personal care, then confirm ZIP code coverage and staffing with each office.
Official Sources and Provider Information
Official records help you compare local agencies and care types:
Medicare rules and New York agency categories reviewed November 6, 2026. Other provider pages describe general services; check each branch for current staffing, service area, and payment options.
Care starts with a clear plan.
Does your parent need help each day? Cottage Home Care can help you talk through care tasks, service areas, and the next step.
Reviewed for clinical and program accuracy by Cottage Home Care’s nursing team. Serving families across seven states since 2019 with CHAP-accredited nursing, personal care, and specialized home care.
Getting Started
Private Pay Care Can Begin in as Little as 24 Hours
Companion care covers a wide range of social, emotional, and practical support services — all delivered in the comfort of home.
1
Call Us or Apply Online
Reach out by phone or complete our eligibility form. A care advisor will call you within hours.
2
Free Home Assessment
We visit your home (or speak by phone) to understand your loved one's needs, personality, and preferences.
3
Caregiver Matching
We select 2–3 companion caregivers who match your loved one's interests and introduce you to your top choice.
4
Care Begins
Your companion caregiver starts their visits. We check in regularly to ensure everything is going well.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can companion care help a senior who lives alone and feels lonely?
Absolutely. Companion care is designed specifically for seniors who live alone and need regular social interaction, emotional support, and safe company. A trained companion caregiver visits regularly to talk, play games, go for walks, or simply be present — reducing loneliness and improving quality of life.
Is companion care right for someone with early-stage dementia?
Yes — companion care is often an ideal starting point for someone with early-stage dementia. For someone who feels isolated or needs help with everyday routines, companion care can provide conversation, engagement and supervision. It is not a treatment for dementia or cognitive decline.
Is companion care covered at no cost for Medicaid recipients?
In many states, companion care services are fully covered by Medicaid with no out-of-pocket cost to eligible clients. Cottage Home Care will verify your loved one's Medicaid coverage and explain exactly what is included at no cost to you.
Can companion care give family members a break from caregiving?
Yes — many families use companion care as respite care, allowing a daughter, son, or spouse to take a break from daily caregiving duties without worrying about their loved one being alone. Regular companion visits reduce caregiver burnout and give families peace of mind.
How quickly can companion care begin after I call?
Companion care can typically begin within 24–48 hours of your initial call. Cottage Home Care handles the intake process quickly so that your loved one has support as soon as possible.
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