Home care in the U.S. - Statistics & Facts
Home care refers to medical treatment or assistive care for patients who do not require hospitalization or facility care, but do need additional support to live safely at home. Home care can involve medical treatment by medical professionals, but the largest segment of home care involves assisting individuals with daily tasks such as bathing, dressing, and eating. Such help is carried out by caregivers, or other licensed or unlicensed non-medical personnel. Most of those receiving home care in the U.S. are over 65 years old, with approximately 97 percent requiring assistance with bathing and 91 percent requiring assistance transferring in and out of bed.
In 2016, there were around 814,300 people employed as home health aides in the United States. The largest portion of home care workers are aged between 45 and 54 years and most work part time or only part of the year. As of 2017, it was estimated that 38 percent of home care workers were white, while 28 percent were Black or African American and 23 percent Hispanic or Latino. Over half of home care workers have a high school degree or less while 20 percent have an associates’s degree or higher.
As of 2018, there were over 11,300 Medicaid home health agencies in the United States. Almost all home health agencies are Medicare certified, while 78 percent are Medicaid certified. Home care agencies can provide various services for patients depending on a patient’s condition and medical needs. These services can include skilled nursing, assisted living, physical therapy, and personal care.
Home health care expenditure reached 97 billion U.S. dollars in 2017, growing from 83.6 billion dollars in 2014, and following an increasing trend over the last decade. In 2015, the home health care services industry reported revenue of over 74 billion dollars, around 70 percent of which came from public programs, mostly Medicare and Medicaid. The annual median rate for home health aide services was 52,624 dollars as of 2019, with the states of Washington, Minnesota, and Alaska having some of the highest annual costs for home health aide services in the nation.
In 2016, there were around 814,300 people employed as home health aides in the United States. The largest portion of home care workers are aged between 45 and 54 years and most work part time or only part of the year. As of 2017, it was estimated that 38 percent of home care workers were white, while 28 percent were Black or African American and 23 percent Hispanic or Latino. Over half of home care workers have a high school degree or less while 20 percent have an associates’s degree or higher.
As of 2018, there were over 11,300 Medicaid home health agencies in the United States. Almost all home health agencies are Medicare certified, while 78 percent are Medicaid certified. Home care agencies can provide various services for patients depending on a patient’s condition and medical needs. These services can include skilled nursing, assisted living, physical therapy, and personal care.
Home health care expenditure reached 97 billion U.S. dollars in 2017, growing from 83.6 billion dollars in 2014, and following an increasing trend over the last decade. In 2015, the home health care services industry reported revenue of over 74 billion dollars, around 70 percent of which came from public programs, mostly Medicare and Medicaid. The annual median rate for home health aide services was 52,624 dollars as of 2019, with the states of Washington, Minnesota, and Alaska having some of the highest annual costs for home health aide services in the nation.
