Florida's Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) licenses home health agencies and nurse registries, and registers homemaker and companion services, which may not give hands-on personal care. Medicaid pays for adult home care mainly through Long-Term Care health plans such as Humana, Sunshine, Simply and Florida Community Care, and pays directly (fee-for-service) for some home health visits, private duty nursing and personal care. The state minimum wage rises to $15.00 an hour on September 30, 2026.
Red means act now, amber means read it this month, grey is for the record.
The state minimum wage has been $14.00 since September 30, 2025 and goes to $15.00 on September 30, 2026. From 2027 it will change each year with inflation. The current poster says $14.00 applies "through September 29, 2026."
The updated policy (rule 59G-4.261) covers family home health aide services for up to 12 hours a day and 40 hours a week for a child getting private duty nursing. The 2024 version said up to 8 hours a day. The 2026 family home health aide fee schedule still says "up to 8 hours per day."
Each Medicaid health plan must verify at least 85% of paid personal care and home health visits with EVV, without overriding exceptions or entering claims by hand. HHAeXchange's January 2026 refresher says any change made to a visit makes it non-compliant, and missed visits must be reported right away.
AHCA scheduled a hearing on rule 59A-18.018 (nurse registry emergency management plans) for September 10, 2026, to be held if someone asked for one. A draft of the planning criteria form (AHCA Form 3110-1017, March 2026) is posted.
AHCA posted a draft update to Form 3110-1011. It adds questions on serving only pediatric patients, the home health aide for medically fragile children program, and licensing exemptions under s. 400.464(6)(b).
Dates taken from the rules and notices as we read them.
From 2027 it changes each year with inflation.
Every state follows the same outline, so you always know where to look. Open a section for the detail.
Sometimes two official documents say different things. Here is what we went with, why, and what each document says, so you can judge for yourself.
The Medicaid Home Health Services FAQ is dated November 28, 2022 and names Netsmart. The HHAeXchange documents are newer: they say AHCA's EVV went live on HHAeXchange on October 1, 2024, and HHAeXchange gave AHCA providers a refresher training in January 2026. The FAQ looks out of date.
The coverage policy is part of the rule (59G-4.261) and sets the coverage limit. The February 2026 policy raised the limit from the 2024 version's 8 hours a day. The 2026 fee schedule still describes the service as "up to 8 hours per day," so it may not have been updated. Check with AHCA or the plan before billing more than 8 hours.
AHCA's licensing survey guidance says personal care is a home health service and needs a home health agency or nurse registry license. But Florida Medicaid's personal care policy (part of rule 59G-4.215, October 2024) defines an "independent personal care group provider" as an unlicensed group that employs staff. The policy decides who Medicaid pays, not who AHCA licenses, and AHCA's exemption form lists an aide working alone but no group exemption. So the page keeps the license answer. Ask AHCA before relying on the Medicaid provider type.
The same AHCA survey document prints the statute, s. 400.509(1), saying "any person" giving companion or homemaker services must register, and next to it says the Legislature removed that requirement for people who work alone. The document was printed in 2021, and the statute text it prints may be the older version. We hold no current copy of the statute. Check with AHCA if you work alone.
Every answer was written and checked ahead of time, with the official document next to it. Nothing is made up on the spot.
A registration, unless you give personal care.
Businesses that give only homemaker or companion services are exempt from licensing but must register with AHCA under s. 400.509. The registration fee is $50.75. If you give hands-on personal care, such as bathing or dressing, AHCA's survey guidance says you need a home health agency or nurse registry license. The same guidance says people who work alone and don't hire others no longer need to register.
No.
Florida law says homemakers and companions may not give hands-on personal care. Under rule 59A-8.0095 they may do things like brush hair, file nails, steady a client's arm while walking, and, if asked, remind a client that it is time to take medicine. Personal care is a home health service.
$1,705 plus a $300 biennial assessment.
The July 2024 application (Form 3110-1011) lists a $1,705 license fee and a $300 biennial assessment for initial, renewal and change-of-ownership applications, and $25 for changes during the license period. Send renewals at least 60 days before your license expires to avoid a late fee.
No.
An applicant that will give skilled care must provide proof of accreditation within 120 days of AHCA receiving its application. Since July 1, 2014, an agency that does not give skilled care is exempt from the accreditation requirement.
40 hours, or pass the competency test.
Before an aide works, the agency must have proof of at least 40 hours of training in listed subjects, or a pass on the competency test. Training can be in person, online or hybrid, but the aide must show the skills in person. Aides and CNAs also need in-service training every calendar year and current CPR certification. All home health agency staff (with some exceptions) take a one-time HIV/AIDS course within 30 days of hire.
Owners, managers and staff who serve clients: Level 2.
For home health agencies, nurse registries and homemaker/companion services, AHCA's chart requires Level 2 screening of owners, administrators, financial officers, staff who give personal care or services, and staff with access to clients' property, money or living areas. Screening is done through the Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse. Fingerprints are kept for 5 years. You can renew in the Clearinghouse starting 60 days before they expire. If you miss that date, the worker must be fingerprinted again.
HHAeXchange.
For fee-for-service visits, AHCA's EVV system is HHAeXchange, which set its go-live for October 1, 2024. Using it is free. You may use your own EVV system at your own cost if it sends visits to HHAeXchange by EDI. It covers home health visits, private duty nursing and personal care services. The July 2026 plan contract lets each health plan use its own EVV vendor if it works with AHCA's system; HHAeXchange's Florida FAQ says plans send new cases and authorizations through HHAeXchange.
Up to 8 Long-Term Care plans, by region.
The Long-Term Care managed care waiver (amendment effective February 1, 2025) lists Humana Medical Plan, Sunshine State Health Plan, Florida Community Care and Simply Healthcare Plan in all regions. UnitedHealthcare of Florida, Aetna Better Health, Community Care Plan and Molina Healthcare serve some regions. Check with AHCA for the current list in your region.
$14.00 an hour, $15.00 from September 30, 2026.
Florida voters approved yearly increases in 2020. The minimum wage rose to $14.00 on September 30, 2025 and reaches $15.00 on September 30, 2026. From 2027 it will change each year with inflation. Employers must post the state minimum wage notice.
Up to 12 hours a day and 40 a week, under the February 2026 policy.
The February 2026 policy covers family home health aide services for up to 12 hours a day and 40 hours a week for a child under 21 who gets private duty nursing. The 40-hour limit can be exceeded under s. 400.4765. The aide must be employed by a home health agency. The 2026 fee schedule still says "up to 8 hours per day," so check with AHCA or the plan.
The official link for each document. Our own dated copies will sit next to them, so a document is still here when a state moves its website.
103 documents — showing the newest 25