Howard County Home and Hospice
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Frequently Asked Questions
- What is home health?
- Home health care includes skilled nursing care as well as other skilled care such as physical,
occupational, speech-language therapy and medical social services.
These services are given by a variety of skilled health care professionals at the patient's home.
Along with the doctor, home health staff creates a care plan, which includes a plan for your care. It tells
what services you will get to reach and keep your maximum mental and social well being. The home health staff
keeps your doctor up-to-date about how you are doing and updates your care plan as needed.
- Who pays for home health services?
-
Medicare
Medicaid
Private Insurance
Worker's Compensation
- When does Medicare cover services?
- You must be homebound: Normally unable to leave home or leaving home requires considerable and taxing effort.
A person may leave home for medical treatment or infrequent absences for nonmedical reasons, such as a trip to the
barber or to religious services.
You must be under the care of a licensed physician. Your doctor must decide you need medical care in your home,
and make a plan for your care at home.
You must need at least one of the following: Intermittent skilled nursing care, physical therapy or speech-language
pathology services, or continue to need occupational therapy services.
The Home Health Agency caring for you must be approved by the Medicare program.
- Who can benefit from Home Health Care?
- A person recovering from an illness or surgery, managing a chronic illness or coping with a life-threatening illness.
- What is skilled nursing care?
- A level of care that must be given or supervised by Registered Nurses. Examples of skilled nursing care include intravenous
injections, tube feeding, oxygen to help you breathe, and changing dressings on a wound, as well as teaching and monitoring of an
unstable health condition.
