Public or private licensed, certified, or authorized state agency or organization that gives home care services that have been prescribed by a patient’s physician such as skilled nursing care, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and personal care by home health aides. To be certified under the Medicare program, a provider or agency must meet certain health and safety standards and provide skilled nursing services and at least one additional therapeutic service (physical, speech, or occupational therapy; medical social services; or home health aide services) in the home. Some outpatient services may be covered if equipment is necessary and cannot be used in the patient’s home. Also called home health care agency .

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.