The short answer Kentucky's home health agency licensure regulation requires a pre-employment medical examination (repeated at least every 3 years) and annual tuberculin screening conducted under the state's health care worker TB testing regulation. Workers' comp is mandatory from the first employee.
What Kentucky requires
Kentucky
TB rule (licensing). 902 KAR 20:081 (Operations and services; home health agencies) requires a plan for a pre-employment medical examination and follow-up exams at least every 3 years for staff serving patients at home, with annual tuberculin screening conducted pursuant to 902 KAR 20:205.
Source ↗
TB testing standard. 902 KAR 20:205 (Tuberculosis testing for health care workers) sets the baseline and serial TB risk-assessment and testing methodology.
Source ↗
Workers' comp from 1st employee. Kentucky Education & Labor Cabinet, Department of Workers' Claims: employers with one or more employees must maintain coverage, with no exceptions for part-time or temporary workers (KRS ch. 342).
Source ↗
☆ Rules change. We watch them for you.
Get one short email when Kentucky's home care requirements change. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Reviewed quarterly by Vitable Health.
The federal baseline (applies in every state)
Federal
No federal TB mandate for home care workers. There is no federal law requiring tuberculosis screening of home care or home health workers; TB screening obligations for this workforce are set by each state's facility licensing law. Federal Medicare Conditions of Participation for home health agencies (42 CFR Part 484) require an infection-prevention program but do not prescribe worker TB testing.
Source ↗
2019 CDC/NTCA baseline screening standard. The 2019 CDC/National Tuberculosis Controllers Association recommendations for U.S. health care personnel call for a baseline (pre-placement) individual TB risk assessment, symptom evaluation, and a TB test (IGRA or TST) for those without documented prior positive results. Routine annual (serial) testing of health care personnel is no longer recommended absent ongoing exposure; instead facilities should provide annual TB education and symptom screening.
Source ↗
Positive-result workup. Personnel with a newly positive TB test or TB symptoms should receive a chest X-ray and clinical evaluation to rule out active TB disease; those found to have latent TB infection should be offered and encouraged to complete LTBI treatment per CDC guidance.
Source ↗
OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard (29 CFR 1910.1030). OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens Standard applies to home care/home health workers with reasonably anticipated exposure to blood or other potentially infectious materials. Employers must maintain a written exposure control plan, provide annual training, and offer the hepatitis B vaccine series at no cost within 10 working days of assignment to covered workers.
Source ↗
Primary sources for this page
More Kentucky guides