Care Services Covered by Medicare

August 17, 2012 0 Comments

Home health care is a necessary expense for many people. With hospitals and medicine always advancing-not to mention the costs of staying overnight in a hospital inflating- the amount of time a patient can expect to spend recovering in a medical institution has vastly decreased. Outpatient care is now de-rigueur, and while that may make the hospital stay cheaper for patients, the after-care can actually be more expensive. The increase in outpatient services has not been met by a similar change by the insurance industry towards covering home health care, which is now considered part of the general health care experience. Thankfully, Medicare and Medicaid will cover fees for some home health care.

Generally, when this happens home health care providers will bill their services directly to the payer. Otherwise, the patient may have to apply for a reimbursement from the insurance company, only after having covered the costs up front. This, however, is not consistent across the board with home health care services. Some are covered and some aren’t. Here is a general idea of how home health care usually ends up being paid for across the country·

Hospices: Most health care plans will cover hospice services. A hospice is a care facility that is usually used at the end of life, towards the last year for a terminally ill patient. It is more a philosophy than a particular treatment and Medicare covers it in 38 states.·

Homemaker Agencies: Usually individuals must shoulder the burden of homemaker and home aid. There are very few public health care programs that cover this type of treatment. Even private care will often not cover it. In some cases state’s individual plans may cover this type of care.·

Pharmaceuticals and Infusion: Essentially meaning very strong constantly delivered drugs or I.Vs. Some patients need this type of care in their homes, and it is generally covered by commercial insurance. In some cases, Medicare will cover it, but for this sort of home pharmaceutical coverage it is best to carry private insurance.·

Durable Equipment: Items such as hospital beds, shower stools and other hard pieces that may be used again or resold or rented are generally covered by Medicare and Medicaid. It is best to check with your local provider.Because home health care is such an extensive field it can be difficult to narrow down just what is covered and for whom. The best way to find out is to consult your local, state office.

http://www.TrustSummit.com provides home health aides to the New York City Area. Summit Home Health Care offers NY home care for both long and short term health problems, as well as homemakers and housekeepers for aging seniors.

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