The Future Leaders Awards program is brought to you in partnership with Homecare Homebase.
Kevin Calcado, Co-Founder and CEO at Claim Health, has been named a 2025 Future Leader by Home Health Care News.
To become a Future Leader, an individual is nominated by their peers. The candidate must be a high-performing employee who is 40 years of age or younger, a passionate worker who knows how to put vision into action, and an advocate for seniors, and the committed professionals who ensure their well-being.
Calcado sat down with Home Health Care News to share what drew him to the home health & home care industry, the biggest leadership lessons he has learned, his thoughts on the future of home health & home care, and much more. To learn more about the Future Leaders Awards program, visit https://futureleaders.wtwhmedia.com/.
HHCN: What drew you to the home health & home care industry?
Calcado: I was drawn to this space because of how overlooked it is. Home health and home care are where some of the most meaningful moments in healthcare happen, yet the infrastructure behind the scenes often feels decades old.
In conversations with hundreds of agency leaders, I was struck by how large and complex organizations were still operating as if they were on pen and paper. Back-office teams were stretched thin and struggling to keep up with constantly shifting rules handed down month after month. It was clear there was an opportunity not just to build a business, but to make an immediate impact by giving agencies and the tools they need to thrive and ultimately improve care for the patients who rely on them.
HHCN: What’s your biggest leadership lesson learned since starting to serve this industry?
Calcado: That listening beats assumptions every time. The workflows that look small on paper are often the ones that create the most friction for staff and the most leakage for agencies.
Sitting side by side with operators taught me that solving problems starts with humility, empathy, and respect for the hard work on the front lines that too often goes overlooked. As a leader, that means staying close to the ground, not just directing from 30,000 feet.
HHCN: If you could change one thing with an eye toward the future of the home health & home care industry, what would it be?
Calcado: I’d push for true interoperability across systems. Today, agencies are forced to stitch together EMRs, clearinghouses, spreadsheets, and even faxes just to get paid. A more connected, standardized infrastructure would let providers spend less time battling back-office bottlenecks and more time focused on caring for patients.
HHCN: In one word, how would you describe the future of home health & home care?
Calcado: Transformative.
HHCN: If you had a crystal ball, what do you think will impact the home health & home care industry now and into 2026?
Calcado: Two forces will shape the next chapter. First, reimbursement pressure will continue to tighten margins. Second, technology adoption will separate the leaders from the laggards.
Agencies that embrace automation and data-driven operations will thrive, while those that don’t will feel the squeeze. The gap between tech-forward agencies and those falling behind is about to widen faster than ever.
HHCN: In your opinion, what qualities must all Future Leaders possess?
Calcado: Curiosity, persistence, and service-oriented leadership.
This industry doesn’t reward ego; it rewards people who show up, ask hard questions, push through obstacles, and never lose sight of the fact that behind every process is a patient and a family relying on care.
HHCN: If you could give advice to yourself looking back to your first day in the home health & home care industry, what would it be and why?
Calcado: Don’t underestimate how complex and nuanced this space is. Every payer, every state, and every agency operates a little differently.
Earn the right to work here by staying humble, listening closely, and learning from the people who’ve been on the front lines the longest. The expertise in this industry runs deep, and the leaders who succeed are the ones who pair that wisdom with fresh ideas to drive change.
