Under Medicare Part B, you are eligible for home health care if you are homebound and need specialized care even if you haven't been hospitalized before. Sometimes, Medicare will pay for short-term custody care (100 days or less) if it's needed along with home health care prescribed by a doctor. While Medicare usually pays for services such as skilled home nursing or physical therapy, it usually doesn't cover care that is provided solely in custody. It can also help pay for assisted living centers, which offer older people the ability to live independently, although with help.
Medicare can help with the cost of health care for people age 65 and older, or possibly earlier if you have Medicare due to a disability. Understanding the complexities of Medicare home health care is critical for physical therapy professionals who want to provide the best care while ensuring that their patients receive maximum benefits. Ask the home health agency what services Medicare will pay for and which aren't covered, since some agencies may recommend services that Medicare doesn't cover. The agency must also tell you (both verbally and in writing) if Medicare won't pay for the items or services it provides and how much you'll have to pay for them. Based on this demonstration, your home health agency can submit to Medicare a request for a pre-claim review of coverage for home health services.
However, you may be responsible for 20% of the amount approved by Medicare for durable medical equipment and the standard deductible for Part B applies. Medicare Part B covers part of the cost of medically necessary wheelchairs, walkers and other home medical equipment (Medicare will not cover electric wheelchairs that are only needed for use outside the home). You're generally not eligible for Medicare home health care benefits if you need full-time skilled nursing care for an extended period of time. Medicare-assigned retailers agree to charge the Medicare-approved price for their products and can't bill you for anything other than your Medicare deductible and coinsurance.
Medicare will pay for what are considered intermittent nursing services, meaning that care is provided less than seven days a week or every day for less than eight hours a day, for a maximum of 21 days.
