Medicare offers online home health care tool

The number of home health companies has skyrocketed in the past decade, primarily serving an aging population that wants to live in their own homes as long as possible. Medicare has an online tool that can help you find a company that fits your needs.

Home Health Compare (nwsdy.li/homehealth) gives you a list of home health companies near you with information on the services each provides. Most importantly, the site offers quality of patient care ratings for each company and compares the results to New York and national averages. The ratings are broken down into several categories. There is also a section with results from a survey of patients who used each company.

The site does not have prices each company charges. Once you identify prospective companies, call them and discuss your needs and ask them for their fees. Keep in mind that Medicare does not cover many home health services or has only limited coverage.