Home Care in Minnesota

The average starting cost of home care in Minnesota is $38 per hour, according to A Place for Mom’s proprietary data. Based on our ranking methodology, the top-rated home care agencies in Minnesota are SYNERGY HomeCare Northeast Metro, MN, Senior Helpers of Stillwater, MN or Home Instead - Andover, MN. Home care gives older adults the opportunity to remain in familiar surroundings while receiving personalized support with daily activities and routines.

Families can compare 151 home care agencies in Minnesota through A Place for Mom’s network. From Minneapolis, Minnetonka, Rochester, Blaine, and Maple Grove to smaller communities across the state, many families look for senior home care that helps their loved one stay safe and comfortable at home. Home care offers nonmedical support, such as companionship, meal preparation, light housekeeping, and help with daily routines. Home health care is different because it provides skilled medical services from licensed health care professionals.

Home care in Minnesota costs $38 per hour, which can be compared to the national  rate of $32 per hour.^[01]

In Minnesota, home care costs are higher than in nearby states, such as Wisconsin, Iowa, and North Dakota, and lower than those in South Dakota.^[01]

Your loved one’s actual rate may still depend on where they live, how much help they need, and the agency they choose.^[01] Monthly costs mostly depend on the number of care hours your loved one receives. A lighter schedule may work for companionship, meal prep, errands, or help around the house. A fuller schedule may be needed if your loved one needs daily help with bathing, dressing, mobility, or other personal care. The following costs are estimated based on the average hourly rate in Minnesota:

• Part-time care (20 hours/week): $3,282 per month
• Full-time care (44 hours/week): $7,219 per month

Several things can affect the cost of home care in Minnesota, including:

• How much help your loved one needs
• Whether care includes companionship, homemaker help, or personal care
• Support for dementia or other specialized needs
• Evening, overnight, weekend, or holiday care
• 24-hour or live-in care
• Caregiver training and experience
• Where your loved one lives in Minnesota
• Agency minimum hour requirements

Families in Minnesota often pay for home care with private funds, public benefits, or a mix of both. Medicare may help with short-term home health care when skilled medical care is needed, while Minnesota Medicaid may help eligible residents pay for some in-home support through Medical Assistance and waiver programs.

Private pay options

Many Minnesota families start with private pay because it gives them more choice over the agency, schedule, and type of support their loved one receives. Common private payment sources include:

• Social Security benefits
• Savings, investments, or pensions
• Proceeds from selling a home, real estate, or personal property
• Long-term care insurance
• Certain kinds of life insurance policies
• Reverse mortgages

Some families combine several payment sources or share costs among siblings and relatives, especially if their loved one’s care needs increase over time. Learn more about whether long-term care insurance covers in-home care and how Social Security benefits may help pay for in-home care.

VA benefits

Eligible veterans and surviving spouses may be able to use benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to help pay for home care in Minnesota. These benefits can help cover in-home support for veterans who qualify, including help with daily routines or skilled services at home.

VA health care may cover several home- and community-based services for enrolled veterans who meet eligibility requirements. Copays may apply. These services may include:^{[02,03,04,05,06]}

• Homemaker and Home Health Aide Care, which can help with daily activities like bathing, dressing, eating, and moving around the home
• Skilled Home Health Care, which can include short-term or ongoing skilled services such as nursing, therapy, wound care, or case management
• Home-Based Primary Care, which provides team-based medical care at home for veterans with ongoing health needs
• Respite Care, which gives family caregivers short-term relief while their loved one receives care

VA Aid and Attendance may also help some families pay for care. This benefit adds money to a monthly VA pension for qualified veterans and survivors who need help with daily activities or are mostly housebound.^[07]

Minnesota families can also contact the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs for help finding veterans benefits support in their area.^[08]

Read more: Home Care Options for Veterans: Eligibility and Services

Minnesota Medicaid

Medicaid is a state and federal program that helps people with limited income and resources pay for health care and long-term care. In Minnesota, the Medicaid program is called Medical Assistance. It may cover medically necessary home health care services when your loved one meets certain program criteria.^[09]

Medical Assistance can also help eligible residents receive nonmedical home- and community-based services (HCBS), including:

• Adult companion services
• Adult day services
• Chore services
• Home care services
• Home-delivered meals
• Homemaker services
• Personal emergency response systems
• Respite care
• Nonmedical transportation

Minnesota Medicaid makes this help possible through the state’s regular plan and these programs:^[10,11,12]

• Community First Services and Supports (CFSS)
• The Elderly Waiver (EW)

The regular plan and CFSS are entitlement programs, so all eligible participants receive services. The Elderly Waiver program limited capacity, which means eligible applicants may be placed on a waitlist before services become available.

Read more:  Medicaid Home Health Care and Nonmedical Home Care: Your Questions, Answered

Medicare

Medicare may cover some in-home care, but coverage is limited. It usually applies to medically necessary home health care that’s ordered by a doctor or other qualified provider and provided by a Medicare-certified home health agency.^[13]

Covered services may include part-time skilled nursing care, therapy, medical social services, and part-time home health aide care when your loved one also needs skilled care. Medicare usually doesn’t pay for 24-hour care, meal delivery, homemaker services, or personal care when help with daily activities is the only support your loved one needs.^[13]

Read more: Does Medicare Cover Home Health Care?

Minnesota licenses and regulates home care providers through the Minnesota Department of Health. These rules are meant to protect people who receive care at home by setting standards for licensing, surveys, enforcement, caregiver training, and consumer rights.^[14]

A Place for Mom’s listings may include agencies that provide nonmedical home care, skilled home health care, or both. In Minnesota, the type of home care license an agency holds depends on the services it provides.

Does Minnesota require home care agencies to have a license?

Yes. Minnesota requires state home care providers to hold either a basic home care license or a comprehensive home care license through the Minnesota Department of Health , unless an exemption or exclusion applies. A basic home care license covers assistive tasks such as help with bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, standby assistance, medication reminders, treatment reminders, and preparing modified diets ordered by a licensed health professional. Laundry, housekeeping, meal preparation, shopping, and other household chores can fall under a basic license when the provider also offers at least one of those basic assistive services.^[14,15]

A comprehensive home care license allows an agency to provide basic home care services plus more complex services, such as nursing services, therapy, medication management, hands-on help with transfers and mobility, and other specialty health care services.^[15]

Does Minnesota conduct inspections of home care agencies?

Yes. The Minnesota Department of Health surveys licensed home care providers at least once every three years. Temporary licensees must also pass an initial full survey during the temporary license period once home care services begin.^[16]

The state’s survey process can include initial full surveys, core surveys, full surveys, follow-up surveys, and complaint investigations. Consumers and families can search for individual provider survey results through the Minnesota Department of Health.^[16]

How to check licensing and inspection reports for home care agencies in Minnesota

Families can use the Minnesota Department of Health’s Health Care Facility and Provider Database to search for licensed home care providers.{citation:17}}

Licensed home care agencies must meet Minnesota requirements related to the services they provide, caregiver training, staff competency, client rights, service plans, supervision, and quality of care. Voluntary third-party accreditation may also show that an agency has gone through an outside quality review, but it is not the same as state licensing.

What are hiring practices for home care agencies in Minnesota?

Minnesota home care agencies must make sure staff who provide home care services are trained and competent for the services they provide. Staff must also be informed of Minnesota’s home care bill of rights.^[18]

Unlicensed staff who provide basic home care services must complete training and a competency evaluation or pass a test and practical skills review for the tasks they perform.^[18]

Choosing a home care agency in Minnesota is easier when you know what to ask before services begin. The right agency should be clear about what kind of care it provides, what license it holds, how caregivers are screened, and how your loved one’s care plan will be managed. Here are some things to keep in mind:

• Confirm the agency’s license type. Ask whether the agency has a basic or comprehensive home care license, and make sure the license matches the services your loved one needs.
• Check licensing and survey results. Use Minnesota’s Health Care Facility and Provider Database and home care provider survey results to review an agency’s status and history.
• Ask about caregiver screening. Find out whether caregivers receive background checks, reference checks, and skills assessments before working with clients.
• Review caregiver training. Ask what training caregivers complete before providing care and whether they receive ongoing education.
• Read reviews and testimonials. Look for patterns in feedback about reliability, communication, compassion, and caregiver consistency.
• Request clear pricing information. Ask about hourly rates, weekly minimums, weekend rates, holiday rates, overnight care, cancellation fees, and any extra charges.
• Confirm available services. Make sure the agency can help with your loved one’s needs, such as companionship, bathing, dressing, meal preparation, transportation, or dementia support.
• Ask how care is supervised. Find out who updates the care plan, how often supervisors check in, and whom your family should contact if something changes.
• Meet potential caregivers. A good personality fit can help your loved one feel more comfortable accepting help at home.

A Place for Mom helps families compare home care agencies and find providers that match their loved one’s care needs, budget, and preferences. In states that require nonmedical home care licensing, A Place for Mom verifies licensing twice per year for agencies in its network.

Read more: How to Choose a Home Care Agency