FAQ

Home health care is personalized care delivered in your own home, with a treatment plan built for each patient. It includes skilled nursing, physical, occupational and speech therapy, medical social work and home health aides. Patient and family education is a key part of better outcomes.

It is appropriate after a hospital stay when care is still needed at home, or when a change in a medical condition would benefit from ongoing assessment and treatment by a nurse or therapist. It is a safe, lower-cost alternative to a rehab facility or nursing home.

The service must be ordered by a physician, the patient must be homebound, the services must be reasonable and necessary, and the patient must have seen the physician within 90 days before or 30 days after starting care.

A normal inability to leave home without considerable, taxing effort — for example needing another person, an assistive device or special transport, or when leaving home causes symptoms such as pain, fatigue or shortness of breath. Brief, infrequent absences for medical care, religious services or adult day programs do not affect homebound status.

Yes. Medicare covers skilled nursing, physical, speech and occupational therapy, medical social services and home health aide services when the patient is homebound, under a physician’s care, and the care is reasonable and necessary on a part-time, intermittent basis. There is currently no co-pay and it is exempt from a deductible.

Ask your physician for a home health evaluation, then choose an agency. You can compare agency outcomes at medicare.gov — or simply call us at (972) 772-5086 and we will help coordinate everything.