- Medicare Coverage and Benefits
Many health care treatments that were once offered only in a hospital or a doctor’s office can now be done in your home. Home health care is usually less expensive, more convenient, and can be just as effective as the care you get in a hospital or skilled nursing facility. In general, the goal of home health care is to provide treatment for an illness or injury.
BENEFIT FOCUS: DOES MEDICARE COVER HOME HEALTH CARE?
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Home health care helps you get better, regain your independence, and become as self-sufficient as possible. Medicare pays for you to get health care services in your home if you meet certain eligibility criteria and if the services are considered reasonable and necessary for the treatment of your illness or injury.
Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) and/or Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) cover eligible home health services like these:
- Part-time or “intermittent” skilled nursing care
- Physical therapy
- Occupational therapy
- Speech-language pathology services
- Medical social services
- Part-time or intermittent home health aide services (personal hands-on care)
- Injectible osteoporosis drugs for women
While Medicare does provide coverage for home health care, there are some services that may not be covered:
Typically Medicare does not provide coverage for:
- 24-hour-a-day care at home
- Meals delivered to your home
- Homemaker services (like shopping, cleaning, and laundry), when this is the only care you need
- Custodial or personal care (like bathing, dressing, or using the bathroom), when this is the only care you need
Because Each Medicare Advantage policy offers different benefits options and exclusions, it’s helpful when you understand your options. Over the last two decades, we’ve connected with thousands of people to help educate them on Medicare & to find the best plan for their needs. We educate, support, and inspire our customers by protecting the resources/finances you’ve worked so hard to build