What is skilled home health care? Skilled home health care services are part-time services felt to be medically reasonable and necessary by your doctor. These services are provided for you in the comfort of your own home by registered nurses and/or other health care professionals like physical, occupational and speech/language therapists. If needed, services may also include visits from a medical social worker or home health aide while you are receiving skilled care.
Who is entitled to home care services? Individuals who are unable to leave home without help or a considerable amount of effort and who have recently been diagnosed with a new illness or hospitalized and those who are recovering from an injury or change in medical condition are often eligible for skilled, part-time home health services.
What qualifies someone for home health care? Your doctor must determine that you need ongoing, part-time, skilled services at home for a period of time and provide orders for this care. In addition, you must require care from a registered nurse and/or physical therapist as part of the care ordered by your doctor. Most insurance plans state that you must be homebound if receiving home health care.
What does it mean to be homebound? To be homebound means that leaving home requires considerable effort on your part due to your medical condition and for many, it means being unable to leave the home without assistance form another person or some type of device such as a cane, walker or wheelchair. Infrequent trips out for medical appointments, religious services or treatments that can't be done at home are allowed.
How are home health care services paid for? Skilled home health care is covered by Medicare, Medicaid and most private insurance plans for patients who meet eligibility criteria under their plan. Patients can arrange to pay out of pocket for services as well if they have no coverage.
How often will home health care visit and how long will the services last? The amount, type and frequency of home health care to be received is determined by input from your doctor and the assessment done by home health care at the first home visit. Length of service is based on your needs, your response to treatment being provided and feedback from the home care team to your doctor about your progress.
Contact the Home Health Care team at 773-275-9700.
