Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is Home Health Care?

Home health care is a service that permits patients to receive personalized health care, maintaining their quality of life in the privacy and comfort of their homes.

2. Why Home Health Care?

Home Health Care is a cost-effective option for receiving health care services. Returning to one’s home and family can promote quicker recovery and improve the quality of life

for both patient and family or caregiver.

3. What criteria must be met for Medicare to approve Home Health Care Services?

The following criteria are used to meet Medicare requirements:

• You are a Medicare recipient.
• The patient must be homebound. This is defined by Medicare as “normal inability to leave the home and that leaving the home requires considerable and taxing effort.”
• The skilled care must be medically necessary as determined by the physician.
• Most Recent Face-to-Face Encounter Documentation:
  Fully Document the patient’s medical condition
  Accurately detail the Clinical Findings
  Connect the Clinical Findings to the patient’s homebound status and need for Skilled Services
  Ensure the form is signed and dated by the Physician

4. What types of services can be provided at home?

Many medical conditions that previously required hospitalization can safely be treated in the home. Our services may include but are not limited to:

SKILLED NURSING

• Observation and assessment of condition
• Patient and family education of disease process
• Management and evaluation of patient care plan
• Medication education and management
• Dressing changes
• Home safety and emergency education
• Gastrostomy care – Wound Care
• Tracheostomy care
• Catheter care
• Enteral and Parenteral Nutrition
• Injections
• Venipuncture – IV Therapy
• Ostomy Care
• Pain Management
• Diabetic Care
• Nutritional support
• Infrared therapy

THERAPY

• Physical Therapy
• Occupational Therapy
• Speech Therapy
• Respiratory Therapy

MEDICAL SOCIAL SERVICES

CERTIFIED HOME HEALTH AIDE SERVICES

5. Who pays for Home Health Services?

Home Health Services are covered by Medicare at 100%. Most health insurance companies, HMOs, PPOs, and Workers’ Compensation, Medical cover home health care.

Some insurance providers do not cover all home health services. We will verify health coverage for the patient.

6. What if I have a concern at night or the weekend?

We have registered nurses on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

7. Do I need a physician’s order for Home Health Care?

Yes. All health care provided in the home occurs under direct order and supervision of the patient’s physician.

8. How do I find out more about Home Health Care?

Please call us for a FREE in-home care coordination visit. Arrangements can also be made for inpatient, nursing home, or assisted living placement, should the need arise.