What is the difference between home health and a personal care agency in Utah?
A Utah home health agency provides skilled nursing and therapy at home under a doctor's plan of care, often paid by Medicare; a personal care agency provides non-medical help such as bathing, dressing, homemaking and companionship, usually paid privately or through a Medicaid waiver.
DLBC licenses both. Home health agencies may also be Medicare-certified, which DLBC's report notes; some carry a “state licensed only” designation, meaning they are not Medicare-certified and cannot bill Medicare.
Will Medicare pay for a personal care agency?
No. Medicare pays for part-time skilled home health for homebound patients but not for non-medical personal care on its own.
Personal care is paid privately, by long-term care insurance, by VA programs for eligible veterans, or by the Aging Waiver for Utahns 65 and older who qualify.
How many of each are licensed in the Salt Lake area?
DLBC lists 46 home health agencies, 28 hospices and 58 personal care agencies with licensed addresses in Salt Lake and Tooele counties as of Oct 30, 2026.
Agencies based elsewhere in Utah may also serve Salt Lake and Tooele addresses; the lists cover agencies whose licensed address is in the two counties.
Can a family use both at once?
Yes, and many do: a home health nurse visits a few times a week after a hospital stay while a personal care aide helps with bathing and meals on the other days.
Make sure the two agencies know about each other and that one person, usually a family member, keeps a shared calendar and medication list.
How do we check a Utah home care agency before hiring it?
Confirm the agency's DLBC license on the public search, ask whether caregivers are employees who have passed Utah background screening, and get the rate, minimum hours and cancellation terms in writing.
For home health, also ask whether the agency is Medicare-certified and how quickly it can start after a hospital discharge. For personal care, ask how the agency supervises aides in the home and how it handles a caregiver who does not show up.
At a glance
| Home health agency | Personal care agency | |
|---|---|---|
| Services | Skilled nursing, physical, occupational and speech therapy | Bathing, dressing, homemaking, companionship |
| Order needed | A doctor's plan of care | No medical order needed |
| Typical payer | Medicare, if homebound and skilled need | Private pay, insurance or Aging Waiver |
| Licensed by | DLBC (and often Medicare-certified) | DLBC |
Sources include Utah Admin. Code R432-270, Utah DHHS and DLBC pages, Salt Lake County and DAAS pages, CareScout and VA rate tables as cited above; see our editorial standards.
