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If you are considering home health or hospice care for you or for a loved one, you may want to find out whether or not you are eligible for your home health or hospice services to be paid for by Medicare. Medicare is a Federal Health Insurance Program for people who are age 65 or older. Medicare also covers people under 65 with certain disabilities or people of any age who have end-stage renal disease. Medicare has two different parts: Medicare Part A – Hospital Insurance and Medicare Part B – Medical Insurance. winrar free download now . Hospice and home health care usually fall under Part A.

How Does Medicare Establish Eligibility?
The way Medicare determines whether or not a patient is Medicare eligible is finding out if the potential patient or patient’s spouse worked for at least 10 years in Medicare-covered employment. The patient’s eligibility is also determined by whether or not they are 65 years or older and a citizen or permanent resident of the United States. Even if a potential patient isn’t yet 65, they may still qualify for Medicare coverage if they have a disability or permanent kidney failure requiring dialysis or transplant.

Is Hospice Care Covered by Medicare?
Hospice care is covered under Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance). A patient is eligible for Medicare hospice benefits when:

- A patient is eligible for Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance); and

- A patient’s doctor and the hospice medical director certify that a patient is terminally ill and probably have less than six months to live; and

- The person signs a statement choosing hospice care instead of routine Medicare covered benefits for the person’s terminal illness*; and (* Medicare will still pay for covered benefits for any health problems that are not related to the person’s terminal illness )

- A patient receives care from a Medicare-approved hospice program.

Please keep in mind that Medicare will still pay for covered benefits for any health problems that are not related to a patient’s terminal illness. A patient’s doctor and chosen hospice care provider will coordinate with the patient and family to set up a plan of care that satisfies any special conditions or needs.

Here is a list of the hospice services that Medicare covers:

- Doctor’s services

- Nursing care

- Medical equipment (such as wheelchairs or walkers)

- Medical supplies like bandages and catheters

- Drugs for symptom control and pain relief

- Short-term care in the hospital and/or including respite care

- Home health aide and homemaker services

- Physical therapist and/or occupational therapist

- Speech therapist work

- A social worker

- Dietary counseling and nutrition planning

- Counseling to help a patient and a patient family with grief and loss

Medicare pays for nearly all of the costs of these services. Often, the only out of pocket expense that a new patient will have to pay part of the cost on is for outpatient drugs and inpatient respite care.

Does Medicare Cover Home Health Services?
Medicare Part A covers specific home health services. Medicare will cover the following home health services for patients:

- Intermittent or PT skilled nursing care by a licensed practical nurse or RN

- Personal care therapy

- Occupational therapy

- Medical supplies that are directly related to your home health care plan, including wound dressings

- Resilient medical equipment

There may be home health services that your provider offers that Medicare does not cover. If this is the case, be sure to have your home health care provider let you know what those services are up front so you can choose whether or not you need them and how to pay for them if you choose to have those services in your home health care plan.

How Can I Find A Medicare Approved Hospice or Home Health Care Provider?
If you’d like to find out if a hospice program or home health care provider is Medicare-approved, ask a patient doctor, a patient State Hospice Organization, or a patient State Health Department. If you live in Utah, you can contact Millcreek Home Health and Hospice. They are a Medicare approved hospice and home health care provider.

Many hospice and home health services are covered by Medicare. We hope that you will find a provider near you and that you or your loved one will get the Medicare covered services that are needed.

Learn more about Utah Home Health and Hospice Care here.

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