Can a Brightstar Care franchisee furnish services to Veteran's Administration beneficiaries?
Brightstar_Care Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
You will operate an agency that provides and markets comprehensive non-medical and/or medical home care services to national account clients or home care clients within their home or residence as well as supplemental healthcare staff to institutional clients according to the administrative and operational components noted in your Franchise Agreement (the "BrightStar Care Agency Program" or "Program"). A "private-duty client" means a client who receives care in the client's home or other place of residence regardless of the nature of the payor for such care (e.g., a private individual, long-term care insurance, commercial insurance, National Accounts payor, Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, etc.). A copy of the Franchise Agreement is attached as Exhibit B to this Disclosure Document. As described in further detail below, the BrightStar Care Agency Program provides franchisees with four primary revenue streams: Non-Medical (Companion) Caregiver inhome care services, Personal Care in-home care services, Medical Skilled Care in-home care services, and Supplemental Healthcare Staffing. As a new location, the training will emphasize Companion, Personal Care, and Skilled in-home care services as well as utilization of the BrightStar Care National Accounts Program. You will be offered supplemental training for Medical Skilled in-home care services (where allowed by state licensure laws) and Supplemental Healthcare Staffing. Some BrightStar Care franchisees offer all four services, and some do not. For example, not all franchisees provide Medical Skilled Care in-home care services where state regulations prevent their ability to do so (as further described below) or where Certificate of Need laws do not allow some or all medical skilled services.
Source: Item 16 — RESTRICTIONS ON WHAT THE FRANCHISEE MAY SELL (FDD pages 80–81)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Brightstar Care's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, a Brightstar Care agency can serve clients regardless of the payor source. The FDD specifies that a "private-duty client" includes those who receive care in their home or residence, irrespective of who pays for the care. This encompasses private individuals, long-term care insurance, commercial insurance, National Accounts payors, Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, and other sources.
This definition means a Brightstar Care franchisee is not restricted to only private-pay clients. They can provide services to clients whose care is funded through various insurance programs or government-sponsored programs like Medicare or Medicaid, where applicable. The FDD also mentions the BrightStar Care National Accounts Program, indicating that franchisees may have the opportunity to service clients through national contracts, which could include beneficiaries of Veteran's Administration programs.
However, the ability to provide Medical Skilled Care in-home services may depend on state licensure laws and Certificate of Need laws. Some states may have regulations that prevent franchisees from offering certain medical services or require a Certificate of Need, which could limit the scope of services a franchisee can provide to Veteran's Administration beneficiaries or other clients requiring skilled care. Therefore, a prospective franchisee should investigate the specific licensing and regulatory requirements in their state to determine the full range of services they can offer.
In summary, while Brightstar Care franchisees can serve clients with various payor sources, including potentially Veteran's Administration beneficiaries, the actual services they can provide may be limited by state regulations and the franchisee's licensure and accreditation status. It is crucial for potential franchisees to conduct thorough due diligence regarding local regulations to understand the scope of their service offerings.