Greenville Senior AdvisorWhat is the difference between in-home care and home health?
In-home care is non-medical help, such as bathing, dressing, meals, housekeeping and companionship, from a DPH-licensed in-home care provider, usually paid by the hour; home health is skilled nursing and therapy visits from a DPH-licensed home health agency under a doctor's plan of care, usually paid by Medicare.
DPH's data shows 13 licensed home health agencies, 17 hospice programs, 3 inpatient hospice houses and 295 licensed in-home care providers with offices in the four counties. The two are often used together after a hospital stay: a home health nurse and physical therapist visit a few times a week, while an in-home care aide helps every morning.
Does Medicare pay for in-home care?
No. Medicare pays for home health visits for homebound patients who need intermittent skilled care, including part-time aide help tied to that plan, but not for ongoing hourly personal care or companionship.
In-home care is paid privately at about $31 an hour at CareScout's 2025 South Carolina median, through long-term care insurance, through VA benefits, or for Medicaid-eligible adults at nursing facility level of care through the Community Choices waiver.
How long does home health last?
Home health continues as long as a doctor certifies that the patient is homebound and needs intermittent skilled care, in 60-day certification periods; most episodes after a hospital stay last weeks rather than months.
When the skilled need ends, home health stops, even if the person still needs help with daily activities. That is the point at which families often add in-home care or consider a CRCF.
How do I choose an in-home care agency in the Greenville area?
Confirm the agency's DPH in-home care license on Find a Facility, then ask about minimum shift length, how aides are screened and trained, whether aides are employees, who covers when an aide calls out, and how the agency handles a change in the client's needs.
Ask for a written service agreement listing rates, including higher weekend and holiday rates. Agencies with offices close to your parent's address often find it easier to staff short or early-morning shifts. Our in-home care roster is searchable by city.
How do I choose a home health agency?
The hospital or doctor will usually offer a list; choose one that is Medicare-certified for the services ordered, can start promptly after discharge, and has strong results on Medicare's Care Compare home health ratings.
Ask how soon the first nursing visit will happen, how often each discipline will visit, and who answers the phone after hours. South Carolina licenses home health agencies by the counties they serve, which our roster shows.
At a glance
| In-home care provider | Home health agency | |
|---|---|---|
| Services | Personal care, companionship, housekeeping | Skilled nursing and therapy |
| Order needed | No | Yes, a doctor's plan of care |
| Medicare | Does not pay | Pays for homebound patients |
| License | DPH in-home care provider | DPH home health agency |
Sources include S.C. Code Regs. 60-84, DPH Healthcare Quality and SCDHHS pages and bulletins, CareScout, CMS and VA rate tables as cited above; see our editorial standards.
