Will Medicare Cover Home Health Care?
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Home health care is care provided by a medical staff who gives you your medical treatments at your home. This is distinct from long-term or custodial care, and different aspects of Medicare offer coverage for this service.
What Makes Home Health Different From Custodial Care?
Home health care is fundamentally different from custodial care. While both take place within your home, custodial care mainly deals with caretakers guiding you through everyday activities such as bathing, eating, getting dressed, and getting into and out of bed.
Home health, on the other hand, plays a therapeutic role, which helps you sustain your physical and mental health. These services include:
- Physical and occupational therapy
- Intermittent skilled nursing care
- Medication injections
- Health status monitoring
- Speech language pathology
What Do I Need to Qualify?
Home health services are only available to certain individuals. Unlike most Medicare plans, you need to meet more requirements than being at least 65 (or collecting disability benefits for 24 months).
You have to have:
- Medicare Part A
- Medicare Part B
- Proof from a doctor that you are homebound
In order to be considered homebound:
- You have extreme difficulty with getting out of your home without someone assisting you
- It is not medically advisable for you to leave your home
Your doctor will closely monitor your home health treatments by reviewing your services and directing the course of your care.
The medical staff will also help you by checking on your overall condition. They will ask if you are feeling any pain or discomfort, remind you if you need to take your medications, check vitals such as pulse and blood pressure, and monitor your diet.
What Roles Do Medicare Part A and Part B Have?
Medicare Part A helps with the majority of these costs. Part B is mainly responsible for covering your durable medical equipment expenses. Items such as oxygen equipment, wheelchairs, and home infusion services are considered to be types of durable medical equipment.
What Does Medicare NOT Cover?
Medicare does not cover every service that takes place in the home. This includes anything that can be done by anyone who is not a medical professional.
Examples of services not covered include:
- Personal care (e.g. grooming, bathing, and eating) if that is the only type of care you need
- Home-delivered meals
- 24-hour care
Need Home Health Care? We’ve Got You Covered!
Proinsurance Hawaii is your go-to when it comes to Medicare. If you live in Hawaii, we can help you find a plan where you can get the best coverage for home health care. It’s as easy as one phone call. Call us today at 808-735-0106.
