Boston Senior AdvisorAlternative Home Health Care, LLC is a Medicare-certified home health agency based at 160 Merrimack Street, Suite 1 in Methuen, MA 01844. Medicare first certified it in 2011, 15 years ago. Medicare rates its quality of patient care at 4 out of 5 stars, above the Massachusetts average of 3. Its strongest result against the Massachusetts average is flu shot status checked; its weakest is new or worsened pressure ulcers.
What is Alternative Home Health Care, LLC's Medicare record?
| Agency | Alternative Home Health Care, LLC |
|---|---|
| Address | 160 Merrimack Street, Suite 1, Methuen, MA 01844 |
| Phone | (978) 657-7444 |
| Medicare provider number (CCN) | 227538 |
| Ownership | Proprietary |
| Medicare-certified since | 08/01/2011 |
How does Alternative Home Health Care, LLC score on Medicare's quality measures?
Medicare publishes 11 patient-outcome and process measures for Alternative Home Health Care, LLC. It is better than the Massachusetts average on 7 and worse on 1.
| Measure | Alternative Home Health Care, LLC | Massachusetts average | U.S. average | vs. Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Started care on time | 95.2% | 96.5% | 96.6% | About the same |
| Got better at walking or moving around | 92.1% | 86.7% | 88.6% | Better |
| Got better at getting in and out of bed | 88.1% | 89.2% | 89.8% | About the same |
| Got better at bathing | 100% | 88.7% | 90.7% | Better |
| Breathing improved | 97.3% | 89.9% | 91.5% | Better |
| Got better at taking medicines correctly | 90.9% | 85.3% | 88.3% | Better |
| Medication issues addressed on time | 95% | 94.4% | 94.4% | About the same |
| Flu shot status checked | 77.6% | 64.6% | 63.3% | Better |
| Met expected function at discharge | 89.4% | 78.1% | 71.7% | Better |
| Falls with major injury (lower is better) | 0.1% | 1% | 0.9% | Better |
| New or worsened pressure ulcers (lower is better) | 0.9% | 0.2% | 0.2% | Worse |
Where it stands out: flu shot status checked, got better at bathing and met expected function at discharge.
Where it trails: new or worsened pressure ulcers.
What do patients say about Alternative Home Health Care, LLC?
58% of surveyed patients said they would definitely recommend Alternative Home Health Care, LLC, based on 157 completed surveys. The Massachusetts average is 77%.
| Survey question | Alternative Home Health Care, LLC | Massachusetts average | U.S. average | vs. Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team gave care in a professional way | 78% | 87% | 89% | Worse |
| Team communicated well | 76% | 83% | 86% | Worse |
| Team discussed medicines, pain and home safety | 68% | 83% | 82% | Worse |
| Rated the agency 9 or 10 out of 10 | 69% | 83% | 85% | Worse |
| Would definitely recommend the agency | 58% | 77% | 79% | Worse |
Do Alternative Home Health Care, LLC's patients end up back in the hospital?
Medicare rates Alternative Home Health Care, LLC worse than the national rate on: patients who went home and stayed home after care ended.
| Measure | Medicare's category | Risk-adjusted rate |
|---|---|---|
| Patients who went home and stayed home after care ended | Worse Than National Rate | 68.1% |
| Preventable hospital readmissions in the 30 days after care | Same As National Rate | 4.4% |
| Preventable hospital stays during care | Same As National Rate | 12.6% |
Which home health services does Alternative Home Health Care, LLC provide, and which does it not?
Alternative Home Health Care, LLC reports offering skilled nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work and home health aide.
| Service | Offered by Alternative Home Health Care, LLC? |
|---|---|
| Skilled nursing | Yes |
| Physical therapy | Yes |
| Occupational therapy | Yes |
| Speech therapy | Yes |
| Medical social work | Yes |
| Home health aide | Yes |
| Round-the-clock or shift care | No. Home health is visits, not shifts. |
| Housekeeping, meals and errands on their own | No. Medicare does not cover them unless tied to skilled care. |
| Long-term help with bathing and dressing | No. That is non-medical home care, which families usually arrange and pay for separately. |
Which Boston-area ZIP codes does Alternative Home Health Care, LLC serve?
Alternative Home Health Care, LLC tells Medicare it serves 87 ZIP codes in Boston and Suffolk, Middlesex, Norfolk, Essex and Plymouth counties, out of 93 in total.
- 01450
- 01460
- 01463
- 01730
- 01731
- 01778
- 01801
- 01803
- 01810
- 01821
- 01824
- 01826
- 01830
- 01832
- 01833
- 01834
- 01835
- 01840
- 01841
- 01843
- 01844
- 01845
- 01850
- 01851
- 01852
- 01854
- 01860
- 01862
- 01863
- 01864
- 01867
- 01876
- 01879
- 01880
- 01886
- 01887
- 01890
- 01901
- 01902
- 01904
- 01905
- 01906
- 01907
- 01913
- 01915
- 01921
- 01923
- 01930
- 01938
- 01940
- 01949
- 01950
- 01951
- 01952
- 01960
- 01966
- 01970
- 01983
- 01984
- 01985
- 02119
- 02121
- 02126
- 02135
- 02138
- 02139
- 02140
- 02141
- 02143
- 02144
- 02145
- 02148
- 02149
- 02150
- 02151
- 02155
- 02176
- 02180
- 02420
- 02421
- 02451
- 02452
- 02453
- 02472
- 02474
- 02476
- 02478
A ZIP on this list means the agency accepts referrals there. It does not promise a nurse is available this week, so confirm your address when you call.
What should you ask Alternative Home Health Care, LLC before starting care?
Ask whether your plan treats it as in-network
Original Medicare pays any certified agency. Medicare Advantage plans use networks, and an out-of-network agency can mean a denied claim. Give them the exact plan name on the card.
Ask who answers after hours
Problems rarely wait for office hours. Ask whether the night and weekend line reaches one of their own nurses or an answering service, and how long a call-back usually takes.
Ask how many visits a week to expect
Home health is intermittent: visits, not shifts. Ask for the planned number of nursing and therapy visits per week so the family knows which hours still need covering.
Which other home health agencies serve Methuen, MA?
These Medicare-certified agencies are also based in or near Methuen.
- Comfort Home Care, LLC — 2.5 of 5 stars
- Braden Home Health Care Services LLC — 1.5 of 5 stars
- Pacific Hands Home Care LLC — 1 of 5 stars
- Precision Homecare LLC — no star rating yet
Last verified: November 2026, against the Medicare provider data release dated 2026-09-21.
Common questions
Is Alternative Home Health Care, LLC Medicare-certified?
Yes. Alternative Home Health Care, LLC is certified by Medicare under provider number 227538 and has been since 2011. Original Medicare pays certified agencies directly for covered home health care.
What is Alternative Home Health Care, LLC's Medicare star rating?
4 out of 5 for quality of patient care. The Massachusetts average is 3. Its patient survey rating is 1 out of 5.
Does Alternative Home Health Care, LLC provide physical therapy at home?
Yes, it reports offering physical therapy to Medicare. It also reports skilled nursing, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work and home health aide.
