The answer to whether Medicare pays for 24-hour home care is no, despite the confusing language that exists. Medicare pays for home health care benefits for people who are at home as long as they meet certain criteria, but services are provided “part-time” or “intermittently,” meaning they are visits, usually less than an hour long, not shift care. In addition, Medicare doesn't fund “caregivers” or “personal care aides,” with the exception of some Medicare Advantage plans, which may authorize 12 2-hour visits. Unlike Medicare, Medicaid covers long-term custody care, including nursing home care and home and community services (HCBS).
If you qualify for home health care, you can receive skilled nursing and rehabilitation services from approved home health agencies. Maurie Backman has been writing professionally for more than a decade, and his area of coverage ranges from healthcare to personal finance to professional counseling. For Medicare to cover your home health care, your healthcare provider must certify that you need these services and that they are medically necessary. Ask the home health agency what services Medicare will pay for and which aren't covered, since some agencies may recommend services that Medicare doesn't cover.
The agencies that offer these services are called home care agencies and should not be confused with home health agencies that offer home health care services. However, you may be responsible for 20% of the amount approved by Medicare for durable medical equipment and the standard Part B deductible applies. Qualifying for home health care under Medicare may seem like a complex process, but it's fully manageable with the right information and resources. If you receive your Medicare benefits through a Medicare Advantage (Part C) plan or another Medicare health plan, check with your plan for more information about your home health benefits.
In most cases, part-time or intermittent time means that you may be able to receive skilled nursing care and home health care services for up to 8 hours a day (combined), for up to 28 hours per week. Each Medicare Advantage plan will have unique rules and requirements for home health care, so be sure to review your plan materials carefully. Under Medicare Part B, you are eligible for home health care if you are homebound and need specialized care even if you haven't been hospitalized before. Even with all of this information, differentiating between home care and home health care can be confusing.
