Michigan Home Health Launch & Medicare Certification — Fixed-Price Application Support
$2,495.00
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Midwest
Michigan Home Care, Home Health & Hospice Licensing
Michigan has no separate state license for home health agencies — Medicare certification through LARA is the only route, now paused by a federal moratorium that makes pre-moratorium positioning critical.
RegulatorLARA
Typical timeline12 to 18 months under normal conditions; current timeline is indeterminate while the CMS moratorium (effective May 13, 2026, through at least November 13, 2026) remains in place. Agencies that use the moratorium period to complete formation, credentialing, and policy development, then pursue accreditation-based deemed status, can realistically target enrollment activation 3 to 6 months after the moratorium lifts, assuming no extension.
License routes4
Delivery100% Virtual
Licensing in Michigan
Michigan does not issue a separate state license for home health agencies; CMS-certified Medicare participation, processed by LARA's Bureau of Survey and Certification acting as the CMS survey agent, is the operative credential. Hospice providers do require a Michigan state license issued by LARA's Bureau of Community and Health Systems under MCL 333.21419, in addition to Medicare enrollment. On May 13, 2026, CMS imposed a nationwide six-month moratorium on all new Medicare enrollments for home health agencies and hospices — published in two separate Federal Register notices (2026-09717 for HHAs; 2026-09718 for hospices) — freezing new CMS-855A applications through approximately November 13, 2026, with potential extensions. Michigan was among the states specifically cited by CMS as a high-fraud-risk area for home health agencies, a designation that will trigger elevated scrutiny for post-moratorium applicants.
Your regulator
Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA)
Official licensing page →License routes we cover in Michigan
Medicare-Certified Home Health Agency (HHA)
Agencies providing skilled nursing, therapy, or home health aide services that wish to bill Medicare or Medicaid; no separate Michigan state license exists — federal certification through LARA-BSC and CMS enrollment is the required credential.
Michigan State Hospice Agency License
Any entity providing palliative end-of-life care under the hospice benefit; a state license from LARA-BCHS is mandatory before or concurrent with Medicare enrollment, governed by MCL 333.21419 and R 325.45101 et seq.
Michigan State Hospice Residence License
A licensed hospice agency that also operates a dedicated residential facility for inpatient hospice care; requires the same state license plus additional per-bed fees and approvals from other state agencies.
Non-Medical / Private-Duty Home Care Agency
Agencies providing only personal care, companion, or homemaker services without skilled clinical staff; Michigan does not license this category at the state level — operators must meet standard business, insurance, and Medicaid EVV requirements only.
How we get you licensed
- 1Monitor the CMS Moratorium Window
New Medicare CMS-855A applications submitted on or after May 13, 2026 are automatically denied under the nationwide HHA/hospice moratorium. The initial freeze runs through approximately November 13, 2026. Use this period to complete entity formation, develop policies and procedures, recruit key personnel, and position the application for immediate submission when enrollment reopens. Applications submitted before May 13, 2026 that already carry a Document Control Number are grandfathered.
- 2Form the Legal Entity and Obtain Business Credentials
Register a Michigan LLC or corporation with the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs Corporations Division, obtain a Federal EIN, secure a National Provider Identifier (NPI) through NPPES, and obtain required commercial general liability and professional liability insurance. Hospice applicants should also open a LARA eLicense account at bchs_elicense.apps.lara.state.mi.us.
- 3Develop CMS-Compliant Policies, Procedures, and Clinical Infrastructure
Draft an agency-specific policy and procedure manual aligned with the federal Conditions of Participation (42 CFR Part 484 for home health, 42 CFR Part 418 for hospice). Hire a qualified Administrator and a Registered Nurse Director of Patient Services. For hospice, also establish a governing body, a medical director arrangement, and an interdisciplinary team structure as required by Michigan Administrative Code R 325.45101 et seq.
- 4For Hospice: Submit Michigan State License Application to LARA-BCHS
Complete the current version of form LARA-SLACR (04/2025), sometimes referenced as LARA-SLACR-101 in prior LARA guidance, and email it to LARA-BCHS-NLTCSLS@michigan.gov with the $2,500 application fee (plus $5 per bed for a hospice residence). A 2% processing fee applies to electronic payments. LARA-BCHS surveys the facility against state licensing rules before a license is issued; MCL 333.20155 requires at least one visit per licensed facility every three years.
- 5Submit CMS-855A to National Government Services (NGS) and Request LARA Survey
When the moratorium lifts, complete the CMS-855A Provider Enrollment Application through Internet-based PECOS and submit it to National Government Services (NGS), the Jurisdiction 6 Home Health and Hospice MAC covering Michigan. Simultaneously, email LARA-BSCSupport@michigan.gov to submit your Civil Rights Clearance from the HHS Office for Civil Rights and the signed Health Insurance Benefit Agreement (CMS-1561), and to request an initial certification survey or to provide your accreditation organization's survey report and deeming letter if pursuing the deemed-status path.
- 6Complete Certification Survey and Activate Medicare Enrollment
For non-deemed applicants, LARA-BSC conducts an unannounced on-site survey verifying compliance with the Conditions of Participation. Note that in FY2026 LARA-BSC has designated initial surveys as lower-priority work; pursuing deemed status through an accrediting organization such as ACHC, CHAP, or The Joint Commission substantially reduces wait time. Once survey deficiencies are resolved, NGS finalizes enrollment, and the agency may begin billing Medicare. Enroll in MDHHS's CHAMPS system separately to activate Medicaid billing and comply with Michigan's Electronic Visit Verification requirement.
Key Michigan requirements
- No separate Michigan state license for home health agencies — Medicare certification through LARA-BSC as CMS survey agent is the operative requirement, governed by 42 CFR Part 484 Conditions of Participation.
- Hospice agencies must hold a Michigan state license under MCL 333.21419 with a $2,500 application fee; state license is required in addition to, and typically before finalizing, Medicare enrollment.
- A Registered Nurse must serve as Director of Patient Services (home health) or in the equivalent clinical leadership role (hospice); Administrator qualifications must meet state and federal standards.
- Civil Rights Clearance from the HHS Office for Civil Rights and a signed Health Insurance Benefit Agreement (CMS-1561) must be submitted to LARA-BSCSupport@michigan.gov as part of the Medicare certification package.
- Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) is mandatory for all Michigan Medicaid home health and personal care services; agencies must integrate with the MDHHS-approved EVV system before billing Medicaid.
- Providers enrolling in Medicare within six months after the moratorium lifts will be subject to heightened 'high' screening — triggering mandatory site visits and fingerprint-based criminal background checks for all owners with 5% or greater ownership interest.
Traps that catch new owners
- The CMS nationwide moratorium (effective May 13, 2026) blocks all new HHA and hospice Medicare enrollment applications — submitting a CMS-855A now will result in automatic denial; any application submitted before May 13, 2026 that already has a Document Control Number from NGS is the only path forward until the freeze lifts.
- Michigan's LARA Bureau of Survey and Certification has formally designated initial certification surveys as lower-priority work in FY2026, meaning non-deemed applicants who skip accreditation may face indefinite waits for a state survey slot — building the policy infrastructure for deemed status through ACHC, CHAP, or The Joint Commission is the practical workaround.
- Michigan was specifically cited by CMS as a high-fraud-risk area for home health agency enrollment (Federal Register notice 2026-09717); post-moratorium applications will face elevated 'high' screening level scrutiny including mandatory site visits and owner fingerprinting, requiring applicants to have airtight documentation of ownership, operations, and compliance before submitting.
Michigan licensing packages
Fixed price, agreed in writing before any work begins. Each package is prepared and submitted for you, fully online.
Michigan licensing FAQs
Does Michigan require a Certificate of Need (CON) for a new home health agency?
Based on the official Michigan CON statute (MCL 333.22203), the covered clinical services list — which includes categories such as cardiac catheterization, MRI, radiation therapy, surgical services, and psychiatric beds — does not include home health agencies. Multiple authoritative sources, including the LARA HHA page and accreditation-body guidance, confirm that home health agencies are not subject to Michigan's CON program. CON in Michigan applies primarily to hospitals, nursing home beds, and specific enumerated covered clinical services and capital expenditures. Consult with a Michigan healthcare attorney to confirm CON applicability for your specific service configuration before proceeding.
Can we submit a Medicare enrollment application right now given the moratorium?
No. CMS imposed a nationwide moratorium on new Medicare HHA and hospice enrollments effective May 13, 2026, running through approximately November 13, 2026. Applications submitted on or after that date are automatically denied. The productive use of this window is to complete business formation, policy development, key staff hiring, and pursue accreditation so your CMS-855A is ready for immediate submission when the moratorium lifts.
Do we need a Michigan state license before we can start the Medicare enrollment process?
For home health agencies, Michigan does not issue a separate state license — there is no state license to obtain. Your Medicare certification through LARA-BSC and CMS is the sole credential. For hospice, you must obtain a Michigan state license from LARA-BCHS (current form LARA-SLACR 04/2025, $2,500 fee) as a prerequisite to full Medicare enrollment; the state license and Medicare certification processes run in parallel but the state license must be in hand before LARA-BCHS will clear a survey for Medicare purposes.
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