Is In-Home Nursing Care Covered by Medicare?

Medicare Coverage for In-Home Nursing Care

Medicare Part A and Part B both offer coverage for home health services, including skilled nursing care. However, the coverage and eligibility conditions differ slightly between the two parts.

Eligibility Criteria

For Medicare to cover in-home nursing care, the following conditions must be met:

• Doctor’s Certification: A physician must certify that the patient requires intermittent skilled nursing care. This care must be necessary to treat or manage a specific illness or injury.
• Care Plan: A comprehensive care plan must be established and periodically reviewed by a doctor. This plan outlines the specific services needed and the frequency of visits.
• Homebound Status: The patient must be considered homebound, meaning they have difficulty leaving their home without assistance due to a medical condition. They may leave home only for medical treatment or infrequent, short-duration non-medical reasons, such as attending religious services.
• Medicare-Certified Agency: The home health services must be provided by a Medicare-certified home health agency.

Services Covered

Medicare covers a range of in-home nursing services, provided they are deemed medically necessary and meet the eligibility criteria:

• Skilled Nursing Care: This includes services that require the expertise of licensed nurses, such as wound care, injections, intravenous (IV) therapy, and the monitoring of serious medical conditions. The care must be intermittent, defined as fewer than seven days a week or less than eight hours each day over a period of 21 days, with some exceptions based on individual needs.
• Therapies: In addition to skilled nursing, Medicare covers physical therapy, speech-language pathology services, and continued occupational therapy if these are part of the patient’s treatment plan.

Non-Covered Services

Medicare does not cover all types of in-home care. Services not covered include:

• 24-Hour Care: Medicare does not pay for around-the-clock home health care.
• Custodial Care: Assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs) such as bathing, dressing, and eating is not covered unless it is part of the skilled care being received.
• Homemaker Services: General housekeeping, meal preparation, and shopping are not covered services.
• Personal Care Alone: Medicare does not cover personal care services (like help with ADLs) if they are the only services needed.

Cost and Coverage

• If the eligibility criteria are met, Medicare covers 100% of the approved amount for home health services. There are no out-of-pocket costs for the home health visits themselves.
• Beneficiaries may be responsible for 20% of the cost of durable medical equipment (DME), such as wheelchairs and walkers, if needed as part of their care, after meeting the Medicare Part B deductible.

Understanding these limitations is crucial for beneficiaries and their families to plan appropriately for comprehensive in-home care needs. For those requiring additional support beyond what Medicare covers, exploring other resources such as Medicaid, long-term care insurance, and community programs may be necessary.