Medicare pays for you to receive health care services in your home if you meet certain eligibility criteria and the services are considered reasonable and. When a person begins receiving home health care, the care plan will allow for a maximum of 60 days. At the end of this period, the doctor must decide if he wants to re-certify the patient for another 60 days. To continue home health care, the patient must be re-certified at least every 60 days. The Medicare home health benefit period begins once your doctor certifies that you need specialized care and continues for 60 days.
During this time, you will receive the necessary home health care services according to your care plan, with no limits on the number of visits, whenever they are needed for medical reasons. To get Medicare coverage for home health care, you need extensive documentation and certification from your healthcare providers. The maximum amount of weekly care that Medicare will pay for is usually 28 hours, although in some circumstances it can cover up to 35 hours. 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.
The ABN also provides instructions for obtaining an official Medicare decision about paying for home health care services and supplies and for filing an appeal if Medicare doesn't pay. Factors such as the type of care that is required, how often it is needed, and the evolution of the patient's condition influence how long they can continue to pay for home health care. Medicare will pay for what are considered intermittent nursing services, meaning care is provided less than seven days a week or every day for less than eight hours a day, for up to 21 days. Before starting home health care, the certified home health care agency must tell the person how much Medicare will pay.
In most cases, part-time or intermittent time means that you may be able to receive skilled nursing care and home health care services for up to 8 hours a day (combined), for up to 28 hours per week. Medicare pays for home health care for eligible, homebound older people who require essential medical services for the treatment of an illness or injury. For all of these services to be covered, you must request them from your doctor and provide them through a Medicare-certified home health agency. A doctor or other medical professional must request home health care services and these must be provided by a Medicare-certified home health agency.
We'll discuss the different types of Medicare plans and how they relate to home health services, eligibility requirements, coverage limitations, and common misconceptions. Medicare covers home health care services that are considered reasonable and necessary for the treatment of an illness or injury. Medicare-assigned retailers commit to charging the Medicare-approved price for their products and cannot bill you for anything other than the deductible and Medicare coinsurance.
