For less intensive services, such as those mentioned above, you may not pay anything out of pocket as long as the services are covered by Medicare and prescribed by a doctor. Home care provides non-medical services to older people who live at home and need support with their daily tasks. Fortunately, California offers several programs that can help cover home health care costs for certain people. For older people who are generally in good health but need help with activities of daily living, or someone to remind them to take medication, home health care is a viable solution. Home care ranges from physical therapy to palliative care at the end of life, and regardless of the type, home health care can be expensive.
Medicare Part A and Part B cover home health care if the necessary services are considered reasonable and necessary for the person's specific illness or injury, says Ari Parker, co-founder and senior advisor of Chapter, an independent Medicare advisory organization. They will listen to your concerns and provide you with information about a variety of local care options that fit your family's budget, such as home care, independent living, assisted living, and memory care. While Medicare covers part-time or intermittent skilled nursing, physical and occupational therapy, and other qualified in-home services, it becomes less beneficial when the level of home health care shifts to focus on ongoing or custodial care. In addition, Medicare covers home health care services and Medicare social services, which is when a doctor can recommend counseling to help resolve social and emotional problems that could hinder the recovery process, Parker adds.
The cost of home health care after surgery or illness depends on the amount of care the older person needs and their insurance coverage. In addition, you must be under the care of a doctor who declares that you are homebound to receive home health care under Medicare. All home health care services must be prescribed by a doctor and reasonably priced, so it's important to check the costs of home health services in your area before choosing a provider. Medicare will cover 100% of the costs of medically necessary home health care, as long as the care is “part-time or intermittent.” Given the rising cost of health care, it's important to understand how to use Medicare benefits to pay for the care you or your loved one needs in the home.
