Is home health right for you?
Conditions
Guidelines
Service area
Medicare rating and accreditation
Home Health Care
Is home health right for you?
Home health is skilled care delivered directly to a patient in their home. This type of care is provided by licensed medical professionals including nurses, therapists, and aides for the purpose of treating or managing an illness, injury, or medical condition.
Home health care services are provided in the patient’s residence. Locations can include: assisted living, memory support, residential care facilities, or private homes.
Services available include Skilled Nursing, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy, Medical Social Work, and Home Health Aide.
A Home Health episode is 60 days or less, but patients can be recertified at the end of the episode for a new 60-day episode If there is a continued skilled need per insurance guidelines.
The plan of care is specific to each individual. Visit frequency and length vary depending on the individual needs of the patient, progression toward goals, and rehab potential.
Conditions
Home health treats a variety of conditions. Conditions or symptoms that can benefit from our care include:
Balance and Mobility
- Difficulty walking
- Dizziness or vertigo
- Poor vision
- Multiple medications
- History of falls
- Neuropathy/muscle weakness
- Frequent hospital visits
- Difficulty managing multiple medications
Cardiac Conditions
- Heart failure, heart disease or other chronic heart condition
- Experienced a recent heart attack or heart surgery
- Difficulty managing high blood pressure
- Multiple medications or recent medication changes to manage your heart condition
- Complications or hospitalizations as a result of your heart condition
Lung Conditions
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Asthma or other chronic lung disease
- A recent acute respiratory illness, such as pneumonia or COVID
- A recent lung surgery or used a mechanical ventilator
- Multiple medications to manage your lung condition
- Complications or hospitalizations as a result of your lung condition
Neurological conditions
- Mental confusion
- Safety issues or difficulty with mobility or balance
- Getting lost or wandering into unfamiliar locations
- Weakness or other issues following a stroke
Orthopedic conditions
- Joint replacement surgery
- Spine surgery
- Fracture
- Impaired or unsafe mobility and balance
Diabetic conditions
- Pressure injury
- Diabetic foot ulcer
- Venous stasis ulcer
- Surgical wounds
- Complicated skin tear
- Neuropathic foot ulcer
Wounds
- Surgical or Diabetic wounds
Guidelines and Insurance
Medicare Guidelines for Home Health Benefits require the following:
- A physician must certify that a patient is homebound.
- Medicare considers you homebound if:
You need the help of another person or medical equipment, such as crutches, a walker, or a wheelchair, to leave your home; or your doctor believes that your health or illness could get worse if you leave your home; and it is difficult for you to leave your home, and you typically cannot do so.
Your doctor should decide if you are homebound based on their evaluation of your condition. If you qualify for Medicare’s home health benefit, your plan of care will also certify that you are homebound. After you start receiving home health care, your doctor is required to evaluate and recertify your plan of care every 60 days.
Even if you are homebound, you can still leave your home for medical treatment, religious services, and/or to attend a licensed or accredited adult day care center without putting your homebound status at risk. Leaving home for short periods of time or for special non-medical events, such as a family reunion, funeral, or graduation, should also not affect your homebound status. You may also take occasional trips to the barber or beauty salon.
- There must be a physician order for the services and skilled need for a professional to see the client in their home.
- The patient has a face-to-face encounter with their PCP or ordering physician no more than 90 days prior or within 30 days after the home health start of care date. This visit must pertain to why the client is being seen for home health.
Insurance Coverage
- Home health is covered by insurance, and in many cases, there is no out-of-pocket expense to the home health beneficiary.
- All insurances are verified to see if there are any co-pays or co-insurance amounts due.
- Medicare typically covers 100% of skilled home health services.
- Medicare Advantage plans and commercial/private payers have differing guidelines and there may be out of pocket cost for the patient.
Accepted insurances include, but are not limited to, the following.
- Medicare
- Medicaid
- UHC (Medicare, Medicaid and Commercial)
- Humana (Medicare and Commercial)
- Blue Cross Blue Shield (Medicare and Commercial)
- Railroad Medicare Part A
Contact us if your insurance is not listed to see if it is accepted.
Service Area
Our Coverage Area
Nebraska
Cass
Dodge
Otoe
Sarpy
Saunders
Washington
Iowa
Pottawattamie
Mills
Medicare Rating and Accreditation
Medicare Quality of Care Patient Star Rating
OnCare is rated 4.5 stars on CMS Medicare Rating for Home Health Services.
OnCare Home Health has been awarded accreditation from the Community Health Accreditation Partner Inc. (CHAP).
CHAP recognizes the industry’s highest standards and focuses on quality of services and leads to better quality care.
How do I start home health care?
Talk to your primary physician about a referral to home health. If you have any questions, contact us.