How long and how much does it take to start a Medicaid home care agency in Georgia?

No state page gives one total number, so here is what the official sources do say.

State fees and time:

1. License: $300 application fee plus up to $750 in license fees for a Private Home Care Provider. DCH says review usually takes about 60 days.
2. Waiver enrollment: the EDWP manual says to attend an information session within six months before you apply and apply in the September window. Credentialing can take up to 51 business days.
3. The manual also asks for at least 12 consecutive months in the business before you apply.

Costs the state requires you to have:

1. General liability insurance of $1 million per event and $3 million total, plus workers’ compensation for private home care providers.
2. An office in Georgia that is staffed at least 8 hours a day on weekdays, and a Georgia-resident RN.
3. Payroll before your first Medicaid payment arrives.

Some Georgia guides online give total startup budgets and timelines. They come from consulting firms, not the state, so treat them as estimates and ask DCH.

Because of the 12-month and September-window rules, many new owners should expect over a year before Medicaid waiver billing starts. Confirm with the manual.