10 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Home Health Agency in Denver
Last reviewed for accuracy: October 25, 2026.
Choosing a home care agency means trusting an organization with daily routines, personal information, and care in the home. These questions help you compare the specific services, staffing, payment terms, and accountability each agency proposes.
Ask these 10 questions before signing a service agreement. Write down the answers and compare the same care tasks and schedule across agencies.
1. Are You Licensed by the Colorado CDPHE, and Can I See Your License Number?
For a licensed Colorado home care agency, confirm the current CDPHE license and its class. Chapter 26, section 4.1 distinguishes Class A skilled healthcare services, which may also include personal care, from Class B personal care without skilled services. The license is a starting point; ask whether this agency actually provides the services you need.
Red flag: Any agency that hesitates to share their license number or cannot produce it quickly.
2. Is Your Agency Medicare-Certified?
This question matters if the person may qualify for Medicare home health. Medicare's coverage guidance requires a Medicare-certified agency and patient eligibility; a Colorado Class A license alone is not confirmation of Medicare coverage. Ask for the agency's certification details and confirm your exact plan.
Use Medicare Care Compare to match the agency and review available quality and patient-survey information. Ask about missing or limited measures rather than treating a missing rating as a quality score.
Certification and quality data should be considered alongside care fit, current staffing, licensing records, and the agency interview. Neither a license class nor Medicare certification guarantees an individual care outcome.
3. What Background Checks Do You Run on Caregivers?
Colorado law requires home health agencies to conduct background checks on employees, but the thoroughness varies. At minimum, ask whether the agency runs a Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) criminal background check, a national criminal database search, a sex offender registry check, a check of the Colorado Nurse Aide Registry for any findings of abuse, neglect, or misappropriation, and verification of professional licenses for nurses and therapists.
Some agencies also run motor vehicle record checks (important if the caregiver will transport your loved one), drug screening, and reference checks with previous employers.
Follow up if the agency cannot explain its screening process, which workers it covers, when checks are repeated, or how it responds to a relevant finding. Ask separately about driving checks if staff will transport the client.
4. How Do You Train and Supervise Your Caregivers?
Ask about initial training, client-specific competency, and ongoing supervision. For nursing or nurse aide care, ask which supervision schedule applies to this patient and who performs it. CDPHE Chapter 26, section 6.13 distinguishes nurse aide supervision when a health professional is also involved from aide-only care; a single 60-day statement does not describe every arrangement. Ask how concerns or changes in condition lead to earlier review.
For Class B agencies, ask what training caregivers receive before their first client visit. Good agencies provide training on fall prevention, dementia care techniques, infection control, emergency procedures, and client-specific care plans. Ask whether caregivers receive annual continuing education and how many hours are required.
Also ask who creates the care plan and how often it is updated. The best agencies conduct an initial in-home assessment, create a written care plan, and review it regularly with the family.
5. Will We Have Consistent Caregivers?
Continuity matters enormously, especially for clients with dementia, anxiety, or complex routines. Ask whether the agency assigns a primary caregiver to each client or rotates staff. Ask how many different caregivers you should expect to see in a typical month.
Ask how the agency maintains continuity when staffing changes, introduces a new caregiver, and shares the current care plan with replacement staff.
Ask for the agency's caregiver turnover measure, the period it covers, and how it is calculated. Compare that answer with the staffing plan for your case; a percentage by itself does not establish care quality.
6. What Happens If Our Regular Caregiver Calls Out?
Every agency deals with sick days, emergencies, and no-shows. What separates good agencies from bad ones is their backup plan. Ask how much advance notice you will receive if your regular caregiver is unavailable. Ask whether the agency guarantees a replacement or simply cancels the visit. Ask whether backup caregivers will have access to your loved one's care plan before arriving.
Some agencies maintain a float pool of per-diem caregivers specifically for coverage situations. Others scramble to find replacements, leaving families without care.
Ask what the agency can commit to in writing if a visit cannot be staffed, how quickly it will notify you, and what backup arrangements your family would need.
7. What Is Your Complaint and Incident Resolution Process?
Problems will arise. What matters is how the agency handles them. Ask whether there is a designated person or department that handles complaints. Ask about the expected response time. Ask whether complaints are documented and tracked. Ask whether you will receive a written resolution.
A quality agency will have a clear, written grievance procedure and will be willing to walk you through it. Colorado CDPHE regulations require agencies to maintain a complaint process and inform clients of their right to file complaints with CDPHE directly.
Also ask whether the agency has had any CDPHE complaints or enforcement actions in the past two years, and how they were resolved.
8. What Exactly Does Your Pricing Include?
Get the full picture in writing before signing anything. Ask about the hourly rate and whether it varies by time of day, weekend, or holiday. Ask about minimum visit length and whether you are charged for the minimum even if the visit is shorter. Ask about any additional fees such as assessment fees, care plan fees, after-hours surcharges, mileage charges, or cancellation penalties.
For Class A agencies billing insurance, ask about your expected copay or coinsurance and whether the agency will bill insurance directly.
Request a written service agreement that itemizes all costs. Compare pricing from at least 3 agencies before making a decision. If your family is considering overnight or continuous coverage, our guide to 24-hour home care in Denver can help you ask sharper pricing questions.
9. What Insurance Plans Do You Accept?
Ask about Original Medicare or your specific Medicare Advantage plan when relevant, Health First Colorado, Community First Choice (CFC), any applicable HCBS waiver services, private insurance, long-term care insurance, and private-pay terms. Give the agency the exact plan and authorized service rather than asking only whether it "takes insurance."
For CFC or waiver services, ask your current case manager or the local Case Management Agency (CMA) to confirm the benefit, assessment, service plan, and provider enrollment. CFC began July 1, 2025; the transition year ended June 30, 2026. HCPF's implementation guidance explains the CMA pathway. A state license alone does not establish Medicaid enrollment or authorization for every service.
If the agency proposes out-of-network care, check any reimbursement with your plan before paying. A receipt or superbill is not a promise that the insurer will cover the service.
10. Can You Provide References From Current Clients?
A reputable agency should be willing to connect you with families who can share their experience. Ask for 2 to 3 references, ideally from clients with similar care needs (for example, dementia care or post-surgical recovery).
When speaking with references, ask how long they have used the agency, whether caregivers are consistent, how the agency handled any problems, and whether they would recommend the agency to a friend.
You can also check online reviews. Our directory moderates submitted reviews, which can give you another perspective alongside licensing records, references, and an agency interview.
Bonus: Questions to Ask Yourself
Beyond evaluating the agency, consider your own family's needs. How many hours or visits are needed? Does the care plan include skilled services, personal care, or both? What is your budget, and which benefits have actually been authorized? Ask about language needs, the exact service address, and the proposed start date. An office in one city does not establish that it serves another.
Start Your Search
The Denver metro area has no shortage of home health agencies, but finding the right one takes research. Use our directory to browse agencies by license class, specialty, neighborhood, and insurance accepted. Read reviews from real families, compare services, and contact agencies directly to ask these questions.
Taking the time to ask the right questions upfront can prevent problems, protect your loved one, and give your family peace of mind.
Class A vs Class B Home Health Agencies in Colorado: What's the Difference?