If you receive Medicare and require home health services, you may qualify for Medicare’s home health benefit. Medicare’s home health benefit will cover the costs for home health your services if:
- You are under the care of a doctor
- Your doctor ordered and certified that you need home health services
- You require intermittent skilled nursing care or an element of skilled care such as physical, occupational or speech therapy
- You are housebound and a doctor has certified to that fact
- You will receive home health services from a Medicare-certified agency
Medicare’s home health benefit covers intermittent or part-time home health aide services, social services, durable medical equipment and necessary medical supplies. You won’t have to pay for your home health services, but you will have to pay 20 percent of the cost of any medical supplies and equipment. This portion may be covered under your Medigap policy (if you have one).
Your home health agency should let you know, in person and in writing, what services are and are not covered by Medicare. You should also receive a Home Health Advance Beneficiary Notice (HHABN) from your home health agency before they provide services and supplies that are not covered by Medicare’s home health benefit.
