How to start a home health agency in Kansas

Kansas requires a Home Health Agency license from Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), Health Facilities Program to operate a home health agency. Fee: Annual fee is fixed by KDHE regulation (K.A.R. 28-51); the amount was not captured from a readable primary source.

License required

Yes

License

Home Health Agency license

Issuing agency

Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), Health Facilities Program

Fee

Annual fee is fixed by KDHE regulation (K.A.R. 28-51); the amount was not captured from a readable primary source.

Renewal

Every year · License stays in effect while an annual report and annual fee are filed; if not filed within 30 days of the renewal date the license is cancelled automatically.

Survey and inspection

A survey inspection and Secretary approval are required before licensure. Kansas may license agencies from bordering states by reciprocal agreement without an on-site survey.

Regulation

K.S.A. 65-5101 et seq. (licensing at 65-5104); K.A.R. 28-51-100 et seq.

1. Apply to the Secretary of Health and Environment
2. Pass a KDHE survey inspection before the license is issued
3. File an annual report with the annual fee to keep the license in effect
4. Apply for a new license before any sale, ownership/management transfer or substantial change in corporate status

Program

Kansas Medical Assistance Program (KMAP) / KanCare

Enrollment portal

KMAP provider portal (provider enrollment)

Fiscal agent

Gainwell Technologies (KMAP fiscal agent)

Application fee

Federal rule (42 CFR 455.460): the state must collect the CMS application fee from institutional providers that are newly enrolling or re-enrolling; individual physicians and non-physician practitioners are exempt, as are providers already enrolled in (or that already paid the fee to) Medicare or another state's Medicaid/CHIP. CMS set the fee at $750 for calendar year 2026.

Fingerprinting

KMAP's fingerprint FAQ says high-risk applicants may be printed by any authorized law enforcement agency, which mails the card to KDHE/DHCF in an envelope the provider supplies; the check takes about 5-10 business days. Federal rule (42 CFR 455.434, 455.450(c)): providers the state places in the 'high' categorical risk level, and anyone owning 5% or more of such a provider, must submit fingerprints for a criminal background check.

Site visit

Federal rule (42 CFR 455.432, 455.450(b)-(c)): the state must do site visits before and after enrollment for providers in the 'moderate' or 'high' risk levels, and any enrolled provider must allow unannounced on-site inspections.

Revalidation

Federal rule (42 CFR 455.414): every enrolled provider must be revalidated at least once every 5 years.

Full Kansas Medicaid enrollment guide →

CON program

No

Kansas certificate of need details →

Model

hybrid

State vendor

Fiserv AuthentiCare

Services in scope

• personal care
• self-directed personal care
• home health
• homemaker
• private duty nursing
• respite
• physical therapy
• occupational therapy
• speech therapy
• behavioral therapy

Alternate EVV allowed

Yes

Program

https://kancare.ks.gov/providers/electronic-visit-verification/evv-frequently-asked-questions

Kansas EVV requirements →

State minimum wage

$7.25 an hour

Effective

2009-07-24

Scheduled increases

No scheduled change found in the official sources reviewed.

HCBS 80/20 rule

Federal baseline: 42 CFR 441.302(k) requires the state to show that each provider spends at least 80% of Medicaid payments for homemaker, home health aide and personal care services under 1915(c) waivers on direct care worker pay and benefits. Compliance starts 2030-07-09 (for managed care, the first rating period starting on or after that date); annual payment-adequacy reporting under 441.311(e) starts 2028-07-09. A state may set a lower share for state-defined small providers and exempt providers facing hardship, each only through a public notice-and-comment process. The eCFR text has not changed since 2024-07-09. No state-published 80/20 implementation step (small-provider criteria, hardship exemption or reporting guidance) was found for this state in the official sources reviewed.

Home health agencies — active organization NPIs (NPPES)

671 (as of Sep 13, 2026)

Medicare-certified home health agencies (CMS Care Compare)

108 (as of May 27, 2026)

Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment (latest reported month)

393,912 (as of Jun 1, 2026)

All Kansas Home health Medicaid rates, ranked →