Person who, under the supervision of a home health or social service agency, assists elderly, ill, or disabled person with household chores, bathing, personal care, and other daily living needs. Social service agency personnel are sometimes called personal care aides .

1. Limited part-time or intermittent skilled nursing care and home health aide services, as well as other health-related services given to the patient in his or her home. Examples of palliative and therapeutic care are assistance with medications, wound care, intravenous (IV) therapy, help with basic needs (e.g., bathing, dressing, mobility), physical and rehabilitation therapy, nursing, counseling, and social services. Usually this care is given to elderly, disabled, sick, or convalescent patients who do not need care in a facility. These services are provided by home health agencies (HHAs), hospitals, and other community organizations. Medicare pays for home care only if the type of care needed is skilled and required on an intermittent basis and is intended to help people recover or improve from an illness, not to provide unskilled services over a long period of time. There is no beneficiary cost sharing for home health care services. Also known as home care . 2. In Medicare fraud, certification or recertification by a provider of the need for home health care services, knowing that all of the requirements relating to being homebound and medical necessity have not been met.

Physician receives, reviews, adjusts treatment, documents the plan in coordination with the care of the home health agency, and then bills for this service. For subsequent plan adjustment, see home health plan recertification .

Physician receives, reviews, adjusts treatment, documents the plan in coordination with the care of the home health agency, and then bills for this subsequent plan adjustment. For initial certification, see home health plan certification .

Supplies and services provided to patients by health care professionals in a patient’s home. These individuals suffer from an injury, illness, or disabling condition or are terminally ill and require short- or long-term care. For Medicare to pay for the benefits, the services must be prescribed by a physician. Services consist of audiology, dental, medical supplies, part-time or intermittent skilled nursing care, nutrition counseling, occupational therapy, pediatric therapy, physical therapy, some rehabilitation equipment, social services, and speech-language pathology.
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Health care services provided by a licensed home health agency in the patient’s home.

Service provided at the place of residence of a patient by a professional health worker.