Are Home Care Services Covered By Medicare?

When a senior needs to receive care, insurance programs are a practical solution to reduce costs. It, of course, is subject to examination to validate the application. The question is if Medicare can cover home care services?

The short answer is yes.

In general, seniors 65 years old and above with disabilities or health issues like end-stage renal are the qualified Medicare beneficiaries. Medicare covers the expenses for health or medical-related concerns of a patient. It includes aids for short-term treatments of patients recovering from stroke and surgery. It also applies to those who receive care for treating injury, postoperative wounds, burns, lesions, etc. The expectation for these cases is the support needed will only last for three weeks or below.

On the other hand, some of the approved care providers of Medicare include physical, occupational, and speech therapists. Plus, home health aides and nursing assistants focus on patients’ medical needs.

In that sense, services like laundry, home management, errands, shopping, and other similar tasks are excluded. The care services for activities of daily living (ADLs) that are more personal than health-related may not also be covered. However, Medicare may reconsider if a patient has a physical or cognitive health issue. 

Generally, an easier way to make an application get a nod is to have certification from a doctor that the patient can receive care at home.

Typically, Medicare prefers to support beneficiaries who receive care in health care facilities like hospitals. But it also grants assistance to those who opted and are allowed to get medication through home care services. The key here is the testament of the doctor. Additionally, there must be coordination between the in-home care provider and the patient’s doctor.  

Receiving care at home is not new. But mostly, it is recommended for Medicare beneficiaries.

Many seniors like to receive care at their homes because it is safer for them than to travel often. Some even have no other choice due to their vulnerable health. Moreover, many health experts agree that it’s convenient for patients to have in-home nursing care. Patients respond well to the medication because they feel comfortable and be with their loved ones. 

Numerous studies also show that personalized assistance from home health care services is ideal—this helps avoid falls and the spread of infectious diseases. One reason for this is that an in-home care provider concentrates only on assisting one patient. A senior gets adequate attention and help the entire time. On top of these, in-home care assistants are no different from those serving in hospitals and nursing home facilities. In-home nurses and caregivers from reputable home care agencies like Living Well Family Care have certification to administer medication or provide assistance. 

Another important thing, get services from a Medicare-approved agency.

Medicare has a lot of approved home health agencies, but not all. Hence, there is also a chance that you may encounter a non-approved one. It is better to check if Medicare supports your choice of home care company. It gives you more ease than transferring to another one when you already pay for the services. Moreover, it is easy to process the application as the Medicare-approved company is well-versed in complying with the requirements.