2025 Home Health Agency Regulations — Summary of Changes
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Proposed amendments to Kansas Home Health Agency licensing regulations that restructure license types (SHHS, HCBS, SCS), revise definitions, staffing and supervision requirements, recordkeeping, licensing processes, and service-specific practice limits; affects HHAs, administrators, clinical staff, and contracted personnel operating in Kansas. Draft subject to public comment and further review.
Regulations are reorganized to create three distinct license types for Skilled Home Health Services (SHHS), Home and Community Based Services (HCBS), and Supportive Care Services (SCS), and many provisions were moved from generic rules into license-specific regulations.
Definitions section was substantially edited: multiple terms added, removed, or clarified (including changing 'Skilled care services' to 'Skilled home health services'; removing 'telehealth'; adding 'on-site supervision' and others).
Licensing procedure updated to require a 'complete application packet', create separate fee structures per license type, add new notification requirements (e.g., changes in administrators, ownership, contact info), and require administrators to be on-site during inspections.
New roles and supervisory requirements were added, including requirement to hire a Director of Nursing and an Alternate Director of Nursing, revised administrator qualification standards by license type, and clarified on-call and supervisory visit expectations.
Personnel records, orientation, training, competency, employee health and background check requirements were updated and consolidated; training/competency now annually and before unsupervised care.
Service-specific practice limits clarified for SCS (examples: transfers, ostomy care, oxygen adjustments, medicated shampoos, nail care) and supervisory visit frequencies adjusted for aide supervision.
Clinical and client records requirements separated by license type; progress notes are required at least every 60 days for SHHS and HCBS, and SCS records exclude orders and progress notes.
Service Scope and Eligibility
inv-01: Service eligibility and operational criteria — scope and limits by license type (SHHS, HCBS, SCS)
Service scope and operational limits are defined separately for each license type (Skilled Home Health Services — SHHS; Home and Community Based Services — HCBS; Supportive Care Services — SCS). Services are limited to those listed in K.S.A. 65-5101 and the corresponding regulation.
Definitions, Service Codes, and Recordkeeping Intervals
| No codes listed |
Licensing Application and Notifications
Submit a complete application packet and keep KDHE notified of changes
Applicants must submit a complete application packet that includes the application, fee, a copy of all procedures and policies required by the regulations, resumes for administrators, proof of administrators' education, and verification of administrators' licenses; KDHE will not start any approval timeline for incomplete packets until a complete application packet is submitted with all required documents. Administrators must notify KDHE of changes (administrators, address/name, ownership, phone number) within specified timeframes — amended applications are required for changes in administrators or address/name, change-of-ownership notice and bill of sale must be provided at least 30 days before the effective date, and phone number changes must be provided in writing within five days. An administrator must be on-site during inspections.
- Complete application packet = application + fee + all procedures/policies + administrator resumes + education verification + license verifications
- Incomplete packets do not start KDHE timelines until complete packet received
- Amended application required for administrator changes and for address/name changes
- Change of ownership notification and bill of sale required at least 30 days prior to effective date
- Phone number changes must be provided in writing within 5 days
- Administrator must be on-site during inspections
Key Definition Updates
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