What is Home Health Care?

Home health care refers to skilled nursing care and other health-care services provided in your home. It can include many services, such as nursing care, physical, occupational, speech, and respiratory therapy as well as social services and hospice care.

Home health care is prescribed by your doctor and is provided by a variety of health care professionals. Medicare covers home health care that is temporary and part-time.

Home health professionals may teach you, or your caregivers, how to care for wounds and manage medication. The goal is to help you reach and keep your best physical, mental and social well-being.

What are the Advantages of Home Health Care?

• • • Privacy – personal care in your own home.
    • Convenience – no transportation problems, leading to fewer disruptions of your personal schedule.
    • Comfort – there’s no place like home.
    • Lower cost – often much lower than the cost of care in a hospital or long-term care facility.
    • Shorter recovery time – in general, patients recover more quickly at home than in the hospital.

Do I Qualify for Medicare?

You are eligible for Medicare if you are:

• • • Age 65 or older and have worked long enough to be insured under Social Security, the Railroad Retirement System or Federal employment.
    • Already receiving benefits from Social Security or the Railroad Retirement System.
    • Under 65 and have been entitled to Social Security disability benefits for the last 24 months.
    • Entitled to Medicare because of permanent kidney failure.

Do I Qualify for Home Health-Care Services?

For services to be covered under original Medicare, these 4 conditions must be met:

• • 1. 1. A Physician determines that you need home health care; and, he or she sets up a medical plan to meet your needs.
    2. 2. You are “Homebound”, and normally unable to leave home unassisted. Being homebound means that leaving home is a major effort. When you leave home, it must be to get medical care, or for short, infrequent non-medical reasons such as a trip to get a haircut, to attend religious services, or adult day care.
    3. 3. The Home Health-Care Agency is certified by and participates in Medicare.
    4. 4. You need certain types of care, which may include part-time skilled nursing care, physical therapy or speech therapy.

*For more information about these services and Medicare’s coverage of home health care, read this free publication from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Medicare and Home Health Care, available on the Web at http://www.medicare.gov/ or by calling 1-800- MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).

Who pays?

Medicare and Medicaid (public aid) cover home health services. Commercial/Private insurance coverage varies. Our home health care team can help you understand what services are covered by private insurance policies.

Do I have to pay the home health-care agency and then collect from Medicare?

No. We will handle all paperwork, including insurance billing and doctor’s orders.

What is the cost of delivery and setup?

We provide FREE equipment delivery and setup, and schedule any maintenance visits.

Do your staff or nurses have experience treating patients whose first language in not English?

Yes, in fact we are fortunate to have nurses, therapists, aides, and social workers on staff who speak several different languages including: POLISH, SPANISH, RUSSIAN & TAGALOG.