According to the National Association for Home Care:

• Approximately 7.2 million people in the US require some form of home health care.

• More than 20,000 home health care providers exist today.

• Almost two-thirds of home health care recipients are women.

• Almost two-thirds of home health care recipients are over age 65.

• Conditions requiring home health care most frequently include heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and hypertension.

• Approximately 36 billion dollars was spent on home health care in 1999.

• Medicare is the largest single payer of home care services. In 1997, Medicare spending was approximately 40 percent of the total home health care expenditure.