How to Qualify for Home Health Care?
Criteria for Home Health Care
- Patients must be under the care of a doctor, and must be receiving services under a plan of care established and reviewed regularly by a doctor.
-
A doctor must certify that patients need one or more of the following:
• Intermittent skilled nursing care
• Physical therapy • Speech-language pathology services
• Continued occupational therapy -
A doctor must certify that a patient is homebound. To be homebound means the following:
• Leaving the home isn’t recommended because of the patient’s condition.
• The patient’s condition keeps him or her from leaving home without help (such as using a wheelchair or walker, needing special transportation, or getting help from another person).
• Leaving home takes a considerable and taxing effort. -
A doctor must certify that patients need one or more of the following:
• Intermittent skilled nursing care
• Physical therapy • Speech-language pathology services
• Continued occupational therapy
A person may leave home for medical treatment or short, infrequent absences for non-medical reasons, such as attending religious services. Patients still get home health care if he or she attends adult day care, but would get the home care services in his or her home.
To learn more about Medicare criteria for home health care patients, visit medicare.gov.
IS HOME HEALTH CARE RIGHT FOR YOU?
How do I know if home health is right for me?
Your condition is unique – and so is your treatment plan.
Home health professionals are specially trained to deliver high-quality care that helps patients recover and regain strength, health, and independence.
Our professional nurses, therapists, and social workers treat a wide range of medical conditions, allowing you to rest and recover in the comfort of home.
We can teach you to better understand your disease or condition, and how to manage things like medications and nutrition for the best quality of life. A skilled team of home health clinicians will be your on-site healthcare champion – available 24/7 to address whatever symptoms or concerns you may encounter.
The emotional support, camaraderie, and expertise of our clinicians help reassure you and your family as you progress through recovery or manage your chronic condition.
With home health, you can trust that your doctor’s plan of care will be followed thoroughly and accurately, and that you will receive the high-quality, compassionate care you deserve.
Home health can help if you or a family member:
- Has a new diagnosis or an exacerbation of an existing diagnosis
- Has a new medication
- Requires teaching on a disease process or medication
- Is at risk for or experiencing complications requiring labs
- Requires other skilled nursing services (wound care, teaching, observation, and assessment)
- Requires frequent follow-up from a physician’s office
- Has frequent re-hospitalizations
- Exhibits behaviors that indicate risk for falls
- Needs physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, or medical social services
