Top Home Care Agencies in El Paso, TX

Health insurance and personal funds are what most El Paso residents consider first when paying for home care. However, keep in mind that health insurance usually only covers medical care. Because home care agencies provide support with daily activities and other nonmedical services, insurance typically doesn’t cover those services. You might receive coverage for nonmedical home care if it’s considered part of doctor-prescribed medical home health care services.

Personal income, pensions, and retirement savings can be used to cover the costs of these services. Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits, Medicare, and Medicaid are additional options if eligibility criteria are met. Consider options such as a reverse mortgage or long-term care insurance, depending on what your policy covers. For instance, some long-term care insurance policies only provide coverage when someone needs support with at least two activities of daily living, such as personal hygiene tasks and getting dressed.

Paying for home care
Get an overview of all payment options for home care.

VA home care benefits
See how VA benefits can help veterans and their spouses pay for home care.

Home care and LTC insurance
Learn how to use long-term care insurance to cover home care costs.

Does Medicare pay for home care in El Paso?

Yes, Medicare will pay for part of El Paso residents’ home care services, as long as those services are considered part of home health care services. Why? Medicare only covers medically necessary doctor-prescribed services provided by home health care agencies. Home care agencies, like those listed here, typically offer nonmedical personal in-home care, such as housekeeping and toileting assistance.

To receive Medicare coverage, you must be age 65+ or have a disability, and the home health care agency must be certified by Medicare. Again, keep in mind that Medicare doesn’t cover services that aren’t medically necessary.

Does Medicaid pay for home care in El Paso?

Yes, the Texas Medicaid program, STAR+PLUS, pays for home care services. However, these nonmedical services must be included with required home health care services prescribed by a doctor. Home health care agencies may provide both nonmedical home care as well as medical home health services.

Adults with disabilities and people age 65+ may be eligible for STAR+PLUS coverage if the care they need is medically necessary, prescribed by a doctor, and provided by a home health care agency. STAR+PLUS recipients must also be given a needs assessment questionnaire to evaluate how much support they need with different activities. It measures how well they’re able to perform (or not perform) the following activities:^[01]

• Bathing, dressing, and feeding
• Exercising, walking, and balancing
• Grooming, including nail trimming and skin care
• Toileting and related hygiene
• Transferring between positions, such as in and out of a chair
• Cleaning and laundry
• Meal preparation
• Shopping
• Assistance with medications
• Opening jars and containers
• Using the telephone

A minimum score of 24 shows that the person is impaired enough to receive personal home care coverage.^[01]

Where do I get information about veterans benefits in El Paso?

El Paso veterans may be eligible for a variety of benefits that may help cover home care costs. Their surviving spouses or dependents may also be eligible. We recommend first contacting the El Paso County’s Veterans Assistance Office, because they can help you find benefits counseling services in your area.

Next, you can find a veterans service organization (VSO). VSOs pair veterans, their dependents, or their surviving spouses with benefit officers. These officers provide guidance throughout the application process, at no cost, and help people understand which benefits they qualify for. In some cases, they may even help in appealing denied applications.

Use the list of El Paso VSOs below to find an officer you’d like to work with:

• Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) post search
• Disabled American Veterans (DAV) chapter search
• American Legion post search
• Paralyzed Veterans of America chapter search

What other El Paso services help seniors age in place?

El Paso senior programs help the elderly retain some of their independence, allowing them to live at home for as long as possible. These programs help seniors use local resources, including senior centers and assistance with public health insurance.

Find support by browsing the resources below:

• Rio Grande Area Agency on Aging helps seniors age 60+ by offering Medicare and Social Security benefits counseling, health and wellness programs, and care coordination.
• The City of El Paso Parks and Recreation Department’s senior centers host team sports and other senior-specific activities at 11 locations.
• Texas HICAP is the local Health Insurance, Counseling, and Advocacy Program. Seniors age 60 and older can receive Medicare benefits counseling and help with the application process, free of charge.

Combine the information below with your own research as you browse El Paso home care agencies. Or, if in-home medical services are needed, you can consider home health care agencies.

Home care agencies provide homemaker and nonmedical caregiver services, such as housekeeping and support with hygiene routines. Home health care agencies provide medically necessary services as prescribed by a doctor, including skilled nursing care and medication administration.

In either case, learning about local agencies’ licensure and accreditation status, caregiver qualifications, and fees can help you feel more confident in your decision.

Licensure and accreditation

El Paso home care and home health care agencies must be licensed by Texas Health and Human Services. Texas classifies agencies as Home and Community Support Service Agencies, which have the following licensing requirements:^[02,03]

• An administrator and supervising nurse must be on staff
• Agencies must have a written policy for investigating complaints
• An emergency preparedness plan
• Records for all volunteers and employees must be maintained

Licensed home care agencies provide care under the Personal Assistance Services category. Examples include support with activities of daily living, such as help with mealtimes and bathing.^[04] Home health care agencies provide care under the Licensed Home Health Services or Licensed and Certified Home Health Services category.^[05]

Each El Paso home health care agency’s licensing status can be viewed in the state’s long-term care provider search. Note that home care agencies only providing personal assistance services aren’t included. Use the search by entering your zip code or the city or county name, and then choose “All Home Health Care” in the dropdown menu.

El Paso home care agencies may also choose to pursue accreditation, which means they must meet quality of care standards set by the accrediting organization. Every organization is different, but examples of standards are caregiver competency and client assessment methods.^[06]

Hiring practices

Strict hiring practices help El Paso home care agencies hire qualified caregivers. Knowing what your prospective agency requires of each caregiver may provide peace of mind. For instance, every El Paso home care agency must have policies for each of the caregiver requirements below:^[03]

• Background checks
• Orientation
• Training
• Competency demonstration
• Annual evaluation

Keep in mind that these are the minimum standards, so it’s best to check with agencies you’re interested in to learn about other requirements they might have.

Fees and minimums

To be financially prepared, we recommend learning as much information as possible ahead of time. For instance, some El Paso home care agencies charge fees in addition to their hourly rate. They may also have minimum scheduling requirements.

When you contact home care agencies you’re interested in, consider asking about the following factors that can impact the overall cost of care:

• Upfront fees or deposits
• Initial client assessment cost
• Estimated cost of care based on the client’s current needs
• Minimum required number of caregiver shifts
• Minimum required hours per shift or per week
• Minimum client age requirement

Other questions to ask El Paso home care agencies

Ask these 10 questions to help you find the right home care agency.