Covenant Homecare
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- It owes more than it owns.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
Covenant HomeCare provides quality healthcare, in alignment with Covenant Health's mission to serve the community by improving the quality of life through better health, regardless of the patient's ability to pay.
- Income
- $25.4 million
- Spending
- $26.0 million
- Spent on programs
- 89%
- Reserves
- -1.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 99%
- Employees
- 260
- Volunteers
- 98
- Highest pay
- $3.2 million, president & ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 38 out of 100. Higher than 15% of charities in its peer group (health care, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
0 of 20It owes 166% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 2% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 11% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1589% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 52% of charities in its peer group (health care, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2519 of 20 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (1)
- $23.2 million spent. Covenant HomeCare provides services and treatment for patients who need to receive care in a home environment. Services consist of nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, social services and care given by certified nursing assistants. Patients include those covered by Medicare, TennCare and commercial insurance, as well as self-pay patients. No patient is denied care because of an inability to pay. Applications for financial assistance are provided to patients who need them, and financial counselors are available to assist with the application process. Covenant HomeCare serves a 17-county region in East Tennessee. Covenant HomeCare served 4,858 patients in 2024 in the course of 81,096 patient visits.KARM Transitional Care was created through a partnership between Covenant HomeCare and Knox Area Rescue Ministries to provide a safe place for individuals experiencing homelessness to continue healing after a hospital stay. The goal is to improve patient outcomes through supervised continuity of care, ultimately reducing the patient's risk of developing subsequent illnesses or infections requiring additional hospital treatment. Funded by the Covenant Health Foundation (formerly Fort Sanders Foundation), this service helps fulfill Covenant Health's mission of improving the quality of life through better health in the communities we serve. Covenant HomeCare treated 35 patients in 2024. Covenant HomeCare provides hospice services which include patient care and family support in the home environment during the patient's end stages of life. Services are provided to patients whose physicians have diagnosed them with a terminal medical condition that is expected to result in death within six months of being taken under care. The objective is to allow these patients to die at home with dignity. Services provided in the home consist of nursing care, therapy, spiritual services and social services. Hospice services are provided to patients covered by Medicare, TennCare and commercial insurance, as well as self-pay patients. No patient is denied care due to an inability to pay. Applications for financial assistance are provided to patients if needed, and financial counselors are available to assist with the application process. Covenant HomeCare served 1,572 hospice patients and made 24,511 visits in 2024.Covenant HomeCare and Hospice is proud to be a Level 5 Partner (the top tier) of We Honor Veterans. This program of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO), in collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), invites hospices, state hospice organizations, hospice-veteran partnerships and VA facilities to join a pioneering initiative focused on respectful inquiry, compassionate listening and grateful acknowledgment. By recognizing the unique needs of America's veterans and their families, community providers, in partnership with VA staff, learn how to accompany and guide them through their life stories toward a more peaceful ending.Palliative care is a medical specialty focusing on management of symptoms in patients with acute, chronic or life-threatening illness, regardless of the diagnosis. These symptoms might include, but are not limited to, pain, nausea, shortness of breath, fluid retention, etc. Palliative care strives to help patients better understand their treatment options and customizes treatments to meet individual needs. The goal is to promote the highest quality of life for patients and their families. Palliative care can be delivered any time during a patient's illness, including while receiving hospital care, and can be provided in conjunction with all other medical treatments. The Palliative Care team provided 9,423 visits in 2024. COVENANT HEALTHCovenant HomeCare is a member of Covenant Health. Covenant Health is a community-owned, clinically integrated healthcare enterprise dedicated to being the region's premier healthcare network through service, community, and innovation. Our mission is to improve the quality of life in our region through better health. Covenant Health provides patient-centered care that inspires clinical and service excellence and strives to be the first and best choice for the communities we serve. Established in 1996 by the consolidation of Fort Sanders Health System, Knoxville, Tennessee, and MMC HealthCare System in Oak Ridge, Covenant Health is governed by a voluntary board of directors composed of community leaders and medical professionals. With more than 11,000 employees, affiliated physicians and volunteers, Covenant Health is the Knoxville area's largest employer and has been named a top employer by Forbes and Becker's Hospital Review. Covenant Health serves a 25-county area and includes nine acute care hospitals in East Tennessee: Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center and Parkwest Medical Center in Knoxville, Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge, Fort Loudoun Medical Center in Lenoir City, LeConte Medical Center in Sevierville, Morristown-Hamblen Healthcare System in Morristown, Roane Medical Center in Harriman, Claiborne Medical Center in Tazewell and Cumberland Medical Center in Crossville. It also includes Peninsula, a division of Parkwest Medical Center. Peninsula provides behavioral health services at an inpatient hospital in Blount County and at outpatient locations in Knox, Blount, Loudon, and Sevier counties. The health system includes Covenant Medical Group, which serves patients at more than 90 office and clinic locations. CMG providers include primary care physicians and specialists in areas such as cardiology, gastroenterology, neurology, surgery, and other medical specialties. Covenant Health employs nearly 450 physicians and advanced practice clinicians throughout East Tennessee. Affiliated organizations include Thompson Cancer Survival Center, Thompson Oncology Group, Fortress Corporation and Subsidiaries, Covenant HomeCare, and Fort Sanders Perinatal Center. Covenant Health also o
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated November 6, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since July 1997.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated November 4, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.