In our previous blog we discussed the criteria that need to be met in order for at-home healthcare to be approved by Medicare. We also talked about how everything is usually covered for in-home care services, including the work of the nurses and the equipment needed. Not only that, but there are often no deductibles or co-pays to worry about.

Still, that doesn’t mean that Medicare is going to pick up all services that someone might need while receiving at-home healthcare. In fact, they will only be covering medically-necessary healthcare, which means that many other services (those that are often called elder care services or companion care) might fall by the wayside. Here are some things that Medicare won’t be covering, ones that the patient (or a loved one) will have to make arrangements for.

Not Covered: 24-Hour Care

While 24-hour nursing care is available, it’s not something that Medicare is going to cover. Medicare will cover time-consuming treatments that are able to be carried out by a nurse, but they will not pay for a nurse to be there at all hours of the day.

Not Covered: Meal Delivery

While everyone needs to eat, Medicare is not going to take care of that. They view it kind of like someone who isn’t homebound but is able to head to a clinic in order to have the daily medical care performed. If they’re not paying for that person’s meal, they don’t see it as necessary to pay for someone who is homebound. And in a way, that makes sense; Medicare is there to pay for medical procedures, not food. Meal on Wheels might be a better option for someone who is homebound and seeking food.

Specialized Nursing Service is happy to say that we can help with meal preparation via our private duty elder care services. We can ensure that those in our care will be getting hot, healthy meals, whether the client is helping with the preparation or not.

Not Covered: House Services

As with the meals, Medicare is not going to be covering the cost of any type of homemaker services. This includes shopping for food, cleaning the house, doing the laundry, or washing the dishes. Since it’s not a medical necessity, it’s really not Medicare’s place.

Again, our senior care services can step in and take over. We can help with laundry and basic house cleaning, as well as making the bed and getting the mail. We can also help with tasks such as sending emails, working remote controls, and other companion care services for seniors such as helping with hobbies.

Not Covered: Personal Care

While a case could be made for Medicare covering bathing care for someone who has just had surgery, that’s just not the way it works. It also doesn’t help with the cost of having someone perform grooming or dressing.

It’s Specialized Nursing Services to the rescue once again! Our in-home care experts can help a senior take care of the important necessities of the day, including bathing, dressing, and grooming. Just as important, we can help with weekly pill organization and be there to help our clients remember to take them (with or without meals).

Our home care agency is here to take care of procedures that Medicare covers and the ones it doesn’t. While these services will require different staff, it ensures that the senior in our care is taken care of in every aspect of their lives, whether medical, physical, or social.

Give us a call to see what we can do for you!

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