Frequently Asked Questions

What are the home health care qualifications for Medicare?

• Your doctor must decide that you need medical care in your home, and make a plan for your care at home.
• You must need at least on of the following: intermittent (and not full time) skilled nursing care, physical therapy, or speech language pathology services.
• You must be homebound.

How is “homebound” defined by Medicare?

You are normally unable to leave home. A patient is considered “homebound” if leaving home requires a considerable and taxing effort, or if it is medically inadvisable to leave home. Generally they are unable to leave home without the aid of crutches, walkers, wheelchairs, or another person’s assistance. When a patient leaves home is must be infrequent, for a short time, or to get medical care.