What is home health care?

Home health care is a type of healthcare provided in a patient’s home. It can include skilled nursing care, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, and medical social services

Who qualifies for home health care in Illinois?

To qualify for home health care in Illinois, you typically need to be homebound, have a need for skilled nursing care, and have a physician’s order.

What do I need to do to Start Home Health?

You have to be seen by your doctor for the past 90 days or you have a projected appointment with your MD for the next 30 days to start home health. This is what we call a Face to Face Encounter with your doctor. A nurse practitioner or physician assistant may perform this encounter, but the home health order must come from your physician

Does Medicare cover home health care in Illinois?

Yes, Medicare can cover home health care if you meet certain criteria. This typically includes being homebound, needing skilled nursing care, and having a doctor’s order.

What are the costs of home health care in Illinois?

The cost of home health care in Illinois can vary depending on the services needed and your insurance coverage. Some services may be covered by Medicare or Medicaid, while others may require out-of-pocket payment.

What areas can the staff can go?

We have staff that can go to the entire Chicago land area. Counties that we serve include Cook, Kane, Lake, Will, Dupage, and  McHenry.

What does homebound mean?

Homebound is a term used in healthcare to describe a person who is unable to leave their home for medical reasons. To be considered homebound, an individual must meet specific criteria. Typically, this means they:

• Require significant effort: Leaving home would require considerable and taxing effort.
• Have a medical condition: Their medical condition prevents them from leaving home without assistance.
• Rarely leave home: They leave home infrequently, and when they do, it requires considerable effort.

It’s important to note that being homebound doesn’t necessarily mean bedridden. Individuals can still engage in limited activities within their home. However, they are unable to leave their home for medical, social, or personal reasons without considerable difficulty or risk.

If you or a loved one is considering home health care, it’s essential to discuss the specific criteria with a healthcare provider to determine eligibility.

What are covered under home health services?

Covered home health services include:

•  

• Medically necessary part-time or intermittent skilled nursing care
• Physical therapy :including exercise to regain movement and strength to a body area, and training on how to use special equipment or do daily activities, like how to get in and out of a wheelchair or bathtub.
• Occupational therapy :to help you become able to do usual daily activities by yourself. You might learn new ways to eat, put on clothes, comb your hair, and new ways to do other usual daily activities. You may continue to receive occupational therapy even if you no longer need other skilled care.
• Speech-language pathology services
• Medical social services: to help you with social and emotional concerns related to your illness. This might include counseling or help in finding resources in your community.
• Part-time or intermittent home health aide care (only if you’re also getting skilled nursing care at the same time)
• Injectable osteoporosis drugs for women
• Durable medical equipment such as a wheelchair or walker.
• Certain medical supplies like wound dressings, but not prescription drugs or biologicals

Usually, a home health care agency coordinates the services your doctor or allowed practitioner (including a nurse practitioner, a clinical nurse specialist, and a physician assistant) orders for you. The home health agency caring for you must be Medicare-certified.

Medicare doesn’t pay for:

Custodial or personal care that helps you with daily living activities (like bathing, dressing, or using the bathroom), when this is the only care you need

24-hour-a-day care at your home

Meals delivered to your home

Homemaker services (like shopping and cleaning) that aren’t related to your care plan.

How often will a clinician see me?

The visit frequency is individualized depending on patient needs. Generally, at the beginning of the services, the clinician usually would start with a two to three-times-a-week visit.  Until such time that you are more stable, they may decrease the visit to once a week.  It can always change and would be based on your clinical status.

 Which patients most frequently require home health services?

Chronic conditions or injuries

Alzheimer’s Disease

Chronic kidney disease

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

Diabetes

Heart disease

Recovery from illness or surgery