Healthcare Services listed on PatientsHaveChoices.com

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Healthcare Services at Home

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Home Health care is provided in a patient's home primarily by licensed healthcare professionals. It encompasses a wide range of health and social services including both medical and non-medical care. Home Health is usually prescribed by healthcare professionals for patients that are frail or elderly, or otherwise prefer to receive care at home as opposed to a medical facility.

Usually when patients are getting ready to leave or discharge from a medical facility, following a signifant decline in their health, some people may need assistance transitioning back to their normal lives. Major health conditions can decrease the level of independence that a person may have. At this time, a medical professional recommends either of a combination of medical and non-medical/custodial care at the patient's home.

Skilled Home Healthcare

Medical and therapeutical care
provided at home

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Skilled or medical care at home is usually referred to as "skilled care" or simply "home health". A Doctor prescribes the services or "skills" a patient will need at home, including but not limited to:

• Physical Therapy (PT)
• Ocupational Therapy (OT)
• Recreational Therapy (RT)
• Intravenous Infusion (IV Therapy)
• Wound Care

Skilled care is covered by Medicare. As a patient, you have the right of choice when selecting from participating Medicare-certified home health agencies that serve your geographic area and provide the services you need. Your choice shall be honored by your doctor, hospital discharge planner, or other referring agency.

The discharge plan should also identify any of the home health agencies in which a medical facility has a financial interest, as this is a conflict of interest. Please keep in mind that skilled care must be performed by a licensed medical professional, such as a Registered Nurse (RN) or licensed therapist.

You may learn more about the relationship between Medicare and skilled home health care at www.medicare.gov

Custodial Home Care

Long term non-medical assitance
provided at home

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Long Term Care encompasses a wide range of services, both medical and non-medical. The goal of long term care is to extend the lives of the patients and provide them with a more comfortable life. Service provided by long term care agencies include, but are not limited to:

• Assitance with activities of daily living such as bathing, dressing, using the bathroom...
• Medication reminders
• Companionship (sit and talk)
• Meal preparation
• Incontinence care
• Transferring and ambulation
• Escorting to doctor's appointments

Medicare does not cover these services, which are considered to be a type of care called "custodial care". Custodial care mainly includes services that most people do for themselves, as mentioned above.

Custodial care is mostly paid privately by the patient and their family members. Custodial care also must be performed by a certified medical professional such as a Home Health Aide (HHA) or Certified Nurses Assistant (CNA).

Medicaid, however, pays for certain services for older people with low incomes and limited assets. Who is eligible and what services are covered vary from state to state. Most often, eligibility is based on income and personal resources. Other benefit plans such as Veteran's Benefits may cover these services as well.

You may learn more about Medicaid by visiting www.cms.gov/MedicaidGenInfo/