Home Health is skilled nursing care and other medical support services that patients receive in their own home for the treatment of an illness or after an injury or hospital stay.
What Does Home Health Offer?
The services provided by Home Health agencies are skilled nursing care, physical, occupational, speech, and respiratory therapy as well as social services. Following a specific plan of medical care and treatment and under the supervision of a skilled discipline such as a nurse or therapist, a certified home health aide may provide personal care for a limited time. These skilled services are provided on an intermittent basis, with scheduled home visits under a plan of treatment ordered by a physician. These skilled services can help patients avoid hospitalization or re-hospitalizations after discharge.
Probably the oldest and most familiar provider of home health services is known as the home health agency. Most home health agencies are licensed; Medicare certified and accepts other third party billing of private health insurance policies. Medicare certification means that the agency has met specific federal guidelines and criteria regarding patient care.
The specific purpose of this type of agency is to provide skilled medical care for treatment or rehabilitation services to homebound patients. Home Health medical professionals must strictly adhere to a physician-approved plan of care that is deemed medically necessary and updated every 60 days in order to be eligible for Medicare funding.
The focus of Home Health agencies is on the skilled medical aspect of care with the support of a home health care aide. Regardless of reimbursement eligibility, Medicare will only pay for skilled care in the home for a limited period to treat an illness or injury. The HHAs can provide a pre-authorized amount of personal care while under professional supervision however must discontinue this service when skilled medical care is no longer justified.
Individuals may still require ongoing personal care after Home Health skilled services are no longer needed. Non-medical assistance is referred to as Home Care. As a result of this common need, some home health medical agencies offer a private pay, non-certified component within their agency for nursing assistants or home care aides to continue providing personal and custodial care. Hiring a Home Care agency directly or privately hiring a caregiver is another option when continuing non-medical care through a home health agency is not feasible.
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