Home Healthcare

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Choosing a Home Health Agency

The decision to hire a home health agency for yourself or a loved one can come at a difficult time. The Department of Health hopes that the lists of licensed home health agencies and quality information will help make the the selection process easier.

What you should do

Choose a home health agency that will provide you, or your loved one care and services needed.

About Medicare and other Insurance coverage

Remember that Medicare only pays for skilled home health services agencies they certify to meet their quality standards. Your choices may be limited by agency availability or if you are in a Medicare Managed Care health plan, you may have to use the home health agency that works for the health plan.

You can find a Medicare-approved home health agency by:

  • Searching the Medicare site at Home Health Compare
  • Asking your doctor, hospital discharge planner, social worker or friends who have had home care experiences
  • Using a senior community referral service or other community agencies that help you with home health care

You or your loved one may be eligible for Medicaid benefits if;

  • Your doctor orders the home health care;
  • You must need one of the following: intermittent skilled nursing care, or physical therapy or speech-language therapy, or continue to need occupational therapy
  • You must be homebound, or normally unable to leave your home unassisted. To be homebound means that leaving home takes considerable and taxing effort. A person may leave home for medical treatment or short infrequent non-medical absences such as a religious service or a trip to the barber.
  • The home health agency must be Medicare-certified.

Home health agency has the right to refuse to accept any individual patient if the agency is unable to meet the patient’s needs.