Are you confused by the everchanging rules regarding Medicare coverage and home health care? To help clarify some of the confusion following are four conditions that must be met to be eligible for home health care coverage according to AARP.
•Your doctor must have determined that you need medical care in your home, and the doctor must prepare a plan for your care at home. Your doctor and home health agency personnel must review your plan at least every 60 days.
•You must need at least one of the following: intermittent (not full-time) skilled nursing care, physical therapy, speech language pathology services or occupational therapy.
•You must be homebound. Your home can be a house or apartment, a relative's home or even a home for the aged, but a hospital or other facility that mainly provides skilled nursing or rehabilitation services does not qualify as a home. You may be considered homebound if you leave home only with considerable effort. Absences from home must be infrequent, or of short duration, to get medical care or to attend religious services.
•Medicare must approve the home health agency caring for you.