Jacksonville is the largest city by land area in the contiguous United States, and its post-acute care market reflects both the city's enormous footprint and its growing, diverse population. From home health and hospice to skilled nursing and rehabilitation, Jacksonville offers a wide range of care options — though geographic coverage and provider reach vary significantly across the city.

This guide provides a complete overview of post-acute care in the Jacksonville area and how to find providers through NDPAP's directory.

In This Guide

Post-Acute Care in Jacksonville: An Overview
Home Health Care in Jacksonville
Hospice and Palliative Care
Skilled Nursing Facilities
Rehabilitation Services and LTACHs
Assisted Living and Memory Care
Navigating Medicare and Medicaid in Jacksonville
Jacksonville's Unique Post-Acute Care Considerations
Finding Providers in Jacksonville Through NDPAP
The Bottom Line

Post-Acute Care in Jacksonville: An Overview

Post-acute care in Jacksonville is shaped by the city's extraordinary size, its growing and aging population, and a healthcare market anchored by three major systems: Baptist Health, UF Health Jacksonville, and Mayo Clinic Jacksonville.

Duval County's population exceeds one million, with the broader metropolitan area approaching 1.7 million. The region continues to attract retirees from across the country, military families connected to local naval installations, and working professionals drawn by the growing economy.

Florida's regulatory environment is relatively permissive for healthcare providers — the state does not require Certificate of Need for most post-acute services, which means more providers but also more variation in quality. Careful evaluation of any provider is important.

Home Health Care in Jacksonville

Home health is the most common post-acute service in Jacksonville, providing skilled nursing, physical therapy, and other clinical services in the patient's home. The city's vast geography makes provider coverage area the single most important factor to verify.

Jacksonville's home health market includes national chains, regional companies, and local agencies. Patients should confirm that their chosen agency actively serves their specific neighborhood with reliable visit scheduling.

For a detailed guide, see our article on home health agencies in Jacksonville. Search for home health providers in Jacksonville on NDPAP.

Hospice and Palliative Care

Jacksonville has a strong hospice market with well-established community-based providers. The city's military population means many hospice agencies participate in veteran-specific programs like We Honor Veterans, addressing the unique end-of-life needs of those who served.

Palliative care is available through Baptist Health, UF Health Jacksonville, and Mayo Clinic Jacksonville. These programs provide symptom management and goals-of-care support for patients with serious illness who are still pursuing treatment.

For more details, see our Jacksonville hospice guide. Search for hospice providers in Jacksonville on NDPAP.

Skilled Nursing Facilities

Jacksonville and Duval County have multiple skilled nursing facilities providing 24-hour care for patients who need more support than home health can offer. SNFs serve both short-term rehabilitation patients (post-surgery, post-stroke) and longer-term residents.

Medicare covers up to 100 days in a SNF after a qualifying three-day hospital stay. The first 20 days are fully covered, days 21-100 require a daily copay, and longer stays require Medicaid or private pay.

When evaluating Jacksonville SNFs, check Medicare Care Compare ratings, visit in person, and ask about staffing levels and therapy programs. Search for SNFs in Jacksonville on NDPAP.

Rehabilitation Services and LTACHs

Jacksonville offers rehabilitation at multiple levels. Brooks Rehabilitation is one of the top-ranked rehabilitation programs in the Southeast, providing inpatient and outpatient services for stroke, brain injury, spinal cord injury, and other complex conditions. Baptist Health and UF Health also offer rehabilitation programs.

Outpatient therapy is widely available through hospital-affiliated and independent clinics across the city. Home health agencies provide in-home therapy for patients who cannot easily access outpatient settings.

Long-term acute care hospitals serve patients needing extended hospital-level treatment, particularly for ventilator weaning, complex wounds, and other conditions requiring prolonged acute care.

Assisted Living and Memory Care

Jacksonville has a growing number of assisted living facilities, reflecting Florida's appeal to retirees and the aging of the existing population. Options range from large community campuses to smaller adult family care homes.

Memory care facilities provide specialized care for patients with Alzheimer's and other dementias. Florida licenses these facilities through the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA). Facilities with a limited nursing services (LNS) license can provide more comprehensive care than standard assisted living.

Florida's warm climate can be an advantage for assisted living residents who enjoy outdoor activities year-round, but facilities must have robust hurricane preparedness plans and heat management strategies.

Navigating Medicare and Medicaid in Jacksonville

Medicare covers home health, SNF care after a qualifying hospital stay, hospice, DME, and outpatient therapy, each with specific eligibility rules.

Florida Medicaid operates through managed care plans in the Jacksonville area. These plans — including Humana, Aetna, Molina, and others — coordinate benefits and maintain provider networks. Understanding your plan's network is essential for accessing post-acute services.

Florida Medicaid Long-Term Care is available through the Statewide Medicaid Managed Care Long-Term Care (SMMC LTC) program, which coordinates nursing home and community-based services for eligible individuals.

PACE programs. Jacksonville has Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) options that integrate medical, social, and long-term care services for nursing-home-eligible individuals who want to remain in the community.

Dual-eligible patients with both Medicare and Medicaid should work with their managed care plan to coordinate benefits across both programs.

For more on coverage, see our understanding Medicare coverage guide.

Jacksonville's Unique Post-Acute Care Considerations

Geographic size. Jacksonville's 840+ square miles make provider coverage area the most critical factor in choosing post-acute services. A provider in one part of the city may not serve another part effectively. Always confirm specific coverage.

Military community. Naval Air Station Jacksonville and Naval Station Mayport mean a significant population of active-duty service members, veterans, and their families. Many post-acute providers are experienced with TRICARE and VA benefits, which is a meaningful advantage.

Hurricane risk. As a coastal Florida city, Jacksonville faces significant hurricane and flooding risk. Patients dependent on medical equipment, oxygen, or other power-dependent services need providers with clear emergency preparedness plans. The city experienced major flooding during recent hurricanes, which disrupted healthcare delivery for days.

No Certificate of Need. Florida's open market means more provider choices but also more variation in quality. Research providers carefully using Medicare quality scores, accreditation status, and community reputation.

Bridges and river. The St. Johns River divides Jacksonville, and bridge closures (whether for construction or weather) can affect provider access to certain areas. Patients living on one side of the river may want to confirm their provider has staff on the same side.

Growing diversity. Jacksonville's population is becoming more diverse, with growing Hispanic, Asian, and African immigrant communities. Multilingual, culturally competent providers better serve this changing population.

Finding Providers in Jacksonville Through NDPAP

NDPAP's directory provides comprehensive listings of post-acute care providers in the Jacksonville area:

For statewide resources, see our Florida post-acute care guide.

The Bottom Line

Jacksonville offers a broad post-acute care market, but its enormous size means that provider selection must start with one question: do they serve my area? Beyond geography, evaluate quality carefully in Florida's open market, confirm insurance compatibility, and ensure your provider has plans for hurricane season. Use NDPAP to research and compare providers across all care types.

Search all Jacksonville post-acute care providers on NDPAP