If you're looking into care for someone you love in Washington, you might be juggling a lot of new words and phone numbers. This page puts the basics in one place. It points only to free, official resources. We don't recommend or rank any agency.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau Vintage 2025 population estimates; CMS Provider Data Catalog Home Health Care Agencies (July 2026 file) and Hospice General Information (August 2026 file). Agency counts are a statistic only, not a recommendation. A count doesn't tell you about quality or whether an agency serves your area.
Three kinds of care, in plain words
Which kind of care fits? A quick guide
- Home health is short-term skilled care at home, like a nurse or therapist, ordered by a doctor. Agencies that bill Medicare must be Medicare-certified and follow federal rules.
- In-home care (sometimes called home care, personal care or attendant care) is help with daily life: bathing, dressing, meals and companionship. Families usually pay for it themselves, unless your loved one qualifies for a program like COPES and Community First Choice (below).
- Hospice is comfort-focused care for someone with a terminal illness, usually given at home.
Washington at a glance
Washington had about 1.5 million residents 65 and older in 2025 (18.4% of the state), up from 1.3 million in 2020.
Note: Civilian population. 85+ grew from 131,536 to 150,667. U.S. share 65+: 19.0%.
What care costs in Washington
Full-time paid in-home help (44 hours a week) had a median cost of about $102,960 a year in Washington in 2025, vs. $80,080 nationally.
Note: Median of provider-reported rates; 44 hours/week x 52 weeks. Costs vary a lot by city and by hours. Figure taken from published CareScout state data (retrieved Oct. 2, 2026).
Costs vary a lot by city, by how many hours you need, and by what kind of help is needed. Many families start with a few hours a week rather than full-time care.
Medicare: what it covers at home
Medicare's rules are the same in every state. According to Medicare.gov, Medicare covers part-time or intermittent skilled care at home for people who are homebound (leaving home takes a major effort). A doctor or other provider must see your loved one in person and order the care, and a Medicare-certified agency must provide it. You pay nothing for covered home health visits.
Medicare doesn't pay for 24-hour care at home, meal delivery, homemaker services unrelated to the care plan, or personal care when that's the only help someone needs.
Hospice: Medicare covers hospice for people with a terminal illness who choose comfort care. It's usually provided at home (Medicare.gov).
In 2024, 5.0% of Washington's Original Medicare enrollees used home health (39,388 people) and 2.1% of Medicare Part A enrollees used hospice (31,464 people).
Note: Home health counts cover Original Medicare only (not Medicare Advantage). Hospice counts include all Part A enrollees. Orange = U.S. comparison.
If your loved one has a Medicare Advantage plan, the plan's rules for home health apply. Call the plan or Washington's free SHIP counselors (below) to check.
Medicaid help at home in Washington
Medicaid can pay for long-term help at home for people who qualify medically and financially. Income and asset limits change, so we don't list dollar amounts here. Please check the official pages.
COPES and Community First Choice (CFC)
Run by: Washington DSHS, Aging and Long-Term Support Administration. Official page: www.dshs.wa.gov
- Washington's Community First Choice is the Medicaid program for in-home personal care and related supports.
- COPES is a Medicaid waiver for people 65+ (or 18+ and blind or disabled) who need nursing-facility level of care. It adds services such as adult day care, meals and equipment. People can get CFC and COPES together.
- Rules are set out in Washington Administrative Code chapter 388-106 (WAC 388-106-0300).
WA Cares Fund
Run by: State of Washington. Official page: wacaresfund.wa.gov
- WA Cares is Washington's state long-term care insurance program, funded by worker payroll contributions.
- Check wacaresfund.wa.gov for who qualifies and when benefits can be used.
Help for veterans
- VA Aid and Attendance or Housebound benefits add a monthly amount to a VA pension for veterans and survivors who need help with daily activities or are mostly homebound (VA.gov).
- The VA also offers home-based programs like homemaker and home health aide care and respite. Ask your VA social worker. The VA Caregiver Support Line is 1-855-260-3274 (Mon–Fri, 8 a.m.–8 p.m. ET).
- The Washington Department of Veterans Affairs can help with VA benefit claims (www.dva.wa.gov, 800-562-2308). Listed in VA's directory of state veterans offices.
Free, official places to call
| What you need | Who to contact |
|---|---|
| Local aging services, caregiver support, meals, respite | Your Area Agency on Aging: find it through the Eldercare Locator, 1-800-677-1116 |
| Free, unbiased Medicare counseling | Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors (SHIBA): 1-800-562-6900 (TTY: 1-360-586-0241) |
| Suspected abuse, neglect or exploitation of an adult | Washington Adult Protective Services: 1-877-734-6277 (phone and TTY) (NAPSA directory) |
| Medicaid home care programs | COPES and Community First Choice: see www.dshs.wa.gov |
| Compare Medicare-certified home health agencies and hospices | Medicare Care Compare (medicare.gov/care-compare) |
If someone is in danger or has a medical emergency, call 911. For an emotional crisis, call or text 988 (veterans: 988, then press 1).
What this means for your family
- Start with the doctor. Ask whether your loved one might qualify for Medicare home health, and ask for the list of agencies that serve your area. Medicare.gov says providers should give you one.
- Call SHIP (1-800-562-6900) for free help understanding Medicare or Medicare Advantage rules.
- If daily help is needed for the long term, read the official page for COPES and Community First Choice and ask your Area Agency on Aging to explain the steps.
- Before choosing any agency, look it up on Medicare Care Compare, ask the agency for its state license, and ask your Area Agency on Aging how to check it.
- Take care of yourself, too. Ask your Area Agency on Aging about respite and caregiver support.
Sources
- Medicare.gov: Home health services
https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/home-health-services - Medicare.gov: Hospice care
https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/hospice-care - Washington DSHS: Aging and Long-Term Support Administration
https://www.dshs.wa.gov/altsa - WA Cares Fund
https://wacaresfund.wa.gov/ - CMS: Medicare & You 2027 handbook, SHIP contacts (Section 9)
https://www.medicare.gov/publications/10050-medicare-and-you.pdf - NAPSA: Adult Protective Services, help in your area
https://www.napsa-now.org/help-in-your-area/ - VA: State Departments of Veterans Affairs office locations
https://department.va.gov/about/state-departments-of-veterans-affairs-office-locations/ - VA: Aid and Attendance and Housebound benefits
https://www.va.gov/pension/aid-attendance-housebound/ - Eldercare Locator (ACL)
https://eldercare.acl.gov/ - CareScout 2025 Cost of Care Survey, state data
https://www.carescout.com/cost-of-care - U.S. Census Bureau: Vintage 2025 state population estimates by age
https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-state-detail.html - CMS Provider Data Catalog: Home Health Care Agencies and Hospice files
https://data.cms.gov/provider-data/ - CMS Program Statistics: Medicare Home Health Agency and Hospice tables, 2024
https://data.cms.gov/summary-statistics-on-use-and-payments/medicare-service-type-reports
This is general information to help you think things through. It isn't medical, legal or financial advice. For your family's situation, please talk with your loved one's doctor or a benefits counselor. In an emergency, call 911.