Does Medicare Pay for Home Helpers?
- If you simply require personal care or housework, Medicare is unlikely to pay for in-home caregivers.
- If you also require medical care to recuperate from surgery, a sickness, or an injury, Medicare may pay for short-term caregivers.
- If you’re home-bound and your doctor orders it, Medicare will pay for short-term house health services like skilled nursing care, physical therapy, or occupational therapy.
If you have a medical condition that makes it difficult for you to get out and about, home healthcare may be a more convenient, cost-efficient, and effective option.
Original Medicare (Parts A and B) may occasionally fund medical treatment provided to you at home if you are home-bound. Following an illness or accident, Medicare may pay for some in-home assistance with your daily requirements for a limited time.
However, if you require long-term assistance with daily chores in your home, you should be aware that Medicare normally does not pay such services.
The type of care you receive, the reason you need care, and the amount of time you’ll need it all determine whether Medicare will cover in-home caregivers.
In-home medical care
If any of the following apply to you and you’re home-bound due to an illness or accident, you can access Medicare house health benefits:
- You are only allowed to leave the house for short outings, such as to the doctor or religious services. One exception: if you go to adult day care, you can still have in-home care.
- Your doctor confirms that you require at-home care and droughts a plan outlining the services you will require.
- You require skilled nursing assistance (less than 8 hours per day and no more than 28 hours per week, for up to 3 weeks).
- Your doctor believes your condition will improve in a reasonable, or at the very least predictable, time frame.
- You’ll need a qualified physical, occupational, or speech therapist to create a program that will help you improve, maintain your current health, or prevent you from deteriorating.
- The home health agency providing your care is Medicare-approved or accredited, and you require a home health aide to assist you while you recover.
You must see your doctor less than 90 days before or 30 days after you begin receiving home healthcare services to remain eligible for in-home care.
The cost of employing a caregiver
According to a 2019 industry assessment on home health costs, a home health aide is estimated to cost $4,385 per month on average. The average monthly cost of a caregiver providing custodial care services was $4,290, according to the same poll.
How can I obtain assistance with the cost of a caregiver?
If you or a loved one has spent all their money on in-home caretakers, you might be eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid.
Every state has at least one waiver program for home and community-based health services. If you fulfill the requirements, a waiver program like this one could help you pay for items like:
- Adult day care
- Housekeeping services
- Daily personal care assistance
- Home improvements
- Housekeeping assistance
If you or a member of your family thinks you or someone in your family could need custodial care, a long-term care insurance policy could help you pay for it.
What is the best way to locate a caregiver?
Medicare has a tool to assist you identify a home health agency in your area if you wish to do some research. Once you’ve found a local agency, you can utilize Medicare’s home health agency checklist to see if they’ll provide the level of care you require.
Your state survey agency maintains an up-to-date report on the quality of home healthcare services provided. You can discover the phone number or email address of the agency in your state by consulting Medicare’s resource guide or survey agency directory.
What types of services can I get at home?
Medicare covers a wide range of services, some of which can be delivered right to your door. Some services and the Medicare guidelines that apply to them are listed below.
Physical Therapy
If you see a physical therapist in your home, Medicare is likely to cover the following services:
- Gait training and exercises to assist you in recovering from surgery, injuries, illnesses, or neurological problems such as stroke.
- Wound care after surgery.
- Wound care for injuries, burns, or lesions.
Occupational Therapy
If you are treated at home by an occupational therapist, you can expect to receive the following services:
- Assistance in establishing daily routines for taking medications, meal preparation, and personal care.
- Reaching you how to carry out daily duties securely.
- Assisting you in regaining the ability to function, given your demands and condition • assisting you in carrying out your doctor’s orders.
Speech Therapy
Here are some of the services you may receive if a speech therapist visits you at home:
- Education about other ways to communicate if you can’t talk.
- Education about new ways to communicate if you’ve lost your hearing.
- Therapy to help you regain the ability to swallow.
- Therapy to help you eat and drink as normally as possible.
Nursing assistance
If a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse visits you at home to provide care, they may:
- Change your wound dressings.
- Change your catheter.
- Inject medications.
- Perform tube feedings.
- Provide IV pharmaceuticals.
- Teach you how to take your prescriptions and care for yourself.
Aides to the elderly in the home
In contrast, home health aides are more likely to assist you with the following services:
- Keeping track of your vital signs, such as heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature; ensuring that you’re taking your prescriptions correctly; and determining if your home is safe for you, given your needs and condition.
- Make sure you’re eating and drinking in a healthy manner
Additional services
In-home social services may also be available to you. If you qualify, you may receive assistance in locating community services to assist you in adjusting to your condition. You might also get social, emotional, or psychological counseling if your health requires it.
The cost of employing a caregiver
According to a 2019 industry assessment on home health costs, a home health aide is estimated to cost $4,385 per month on average. The average monthly cost of a caregiver providing custodial care services was $4,290, according to the same poll.
Contact your local Right Choice Home Care office today to schedule a free in-home consultation and learn more about our caregiver services.
