How Medicare can help with senior Health Care and what a Home Care Agency in Palm Beach Gardens Can Do For You

Home health care is a system many people in their senior years come to need, as treating illness or injuries at home is a great benefit, and seniors should be able to enjoy it. The services covered by Medicare’s home health, most of the time, include intermittent skilled nursing care, home health aid, and even therapy—depending on the circumstances.

Medicare can help with senior health care, but it will definitely not cover it all. If you’ve been having doubts about medicare and its relationship with home health care, then keep reading, as we have you all the basics you should know about it, mainly the description of home health care services and how to qualify for it.

When does Medicare cover in-home health care? 

Medicare, in general terms, is the federal health insurance program for people who are 65 or older, for younger people that have disabilities, and for people with End-Stage Renal Disease, which means that their kidney failure requires dialysis or a transplant. Medicare is composed of three different parts that cover specific services: Medicare Part A (hospital insurance), Medicare Part B (medical insurance) and Medicare Part D (prescription drug coverage)

Medicare covers in home health care if:

• You are homebound (meaning that is almost impossible for you to leave your home)
• Skilled nursing services or skilled therapy care is needed on an intermittent basis (at least once every 60 days or once a day for up to three weeks. 
• You have a face-to-face meeting—office visit, hospital visit, video conferencing etc.— with a doctor within the 90 days before you start a home health care process, or the 30 days after receiving the home care.
• Your doctor signs you a home health certification confirming you are homebound and need skilled care through a certification that states that your doctor approved a plan of care for you. 
• Your doctor should review and certify your home health care plan every 60 days. 
• If you receive care from a Medicare health agency (certified)

How do I qualify for senior home health care?

Your regular doctor must certify you as homebound, a person who has difficulty leaving home and that can't make it to the doctor very often. In addition, you need to be under one or more aforementioned covered services to qualify, for example, you must have both Part A and Part B Medicare service—click here to be eligible. Once you manage to get Medicare Advantage you will get other health benefits, such as drug coverage and dental care. In the meantime, if you require home health care services more than eight hours a day or seven days per week, then have in mind that you'll have to pay out of pocket.

Receiving home health care Medicare benefits will require you to receive home health care Medicare benefits from qualified health professionals.

When aren't you allowed to receive a Medicare home health plan? 

It’s simple:  you’re not allowed to receive Medicare home health coverage if the only thing you need is occupational therapy. Even so, if you manage to qualify for home health care under another basis, you will get occupational therapy services, and if needed, once your home health program ends, you can continue receiving Medicare-covered occupational therapy.

What is not included in senior home health care? 

Medicare has limits, and although they’re not many, it is important you understand that home health care does not include 14 hour home care, meal delivery services, and homemaking or housekeeping services. Also, Medicare may not pay for personal or custodial care, meaning that daily living activities such as bathing, eating, toileting, dressing, and others, could not be included. In these cases, you can always contact private home care companies, such as Right at Home, which offer services that Medicare doesn’t, where the aforementioned options of custodial care could be at your reach.

What happens if Medicare doesn’t cover my home health care needs?

If you ever feel like Medicare isn’t covering all your home health needs, then you can try contacting your Medicaid program, and they will be able to help you and offer you other options. If this doesn't work, then you can switch to the Medicare Advantage plan, where you can find a customized plan that can cover more services. Or, just get help from a home care agency in Palm Beach Gardens.

With its pros and cons, Medicare turns out to be a great option for seniors to keep enjoying a healthy life, home health care services can be a life-changer for anyone. Want to learn more details about Medicare, click here, or call the Medicare free line 1-800 MEDICARE.

Media Contact

Company Name: Right at Home

Contact Person: Judy Gropper

Phone: +1 561-282-6106

Address:4440 PGA Boulevard Suite 600

City: Palm Beach Gardens

State: FL

Country: United States

Website: rightathome.net/palm-beach-gardens