Home health aide hourly rates are especially high in the Midwest, with Iowa being the most expensive state in the country, according to recently released findings from a cost of care study.
The average hourly rate for a home health aide in Iowa was $30 in 2014, the study determined. It was conducted by LTCG, a firm that helps insurers manage long-term care portfolios. The study drew on data from the LTCG Provider Network, which includes 13,000 home care providers.
Iowa is joined by nearby states at the top of the LTCG “most expensive” list.
LTCG 10 Most Expensive States for Home Health Aides
- Iowa — $30
- North Dakota — $29
- Minnesota — $28
- Wyoming — $28
- Rhode Island — $27
- Massachusetts — $27
- Alaska — $26
- Colorado — $25
- California — $25
- Hawaii — $25
The U.S. average hourly rate for a home health aide is $22, the study determined.
The findings are similar to those from Genworth, a long-term care insurance company that releases an annual cost of care study. The 2014 median hourly rate for a home care aide was $20, Genworth found. North Dakota and Minnesota also ranked among the most expensive states in the Genworth report.
States in the Northeast, as well as Alaska and Hawaii, were more prominent on LTCG’s latest rankings of most expensive places for assisted living and nursing home care.
Written by Tim Mullaney