Preventing avoidable hospitalizations, reducing costs and increasing patient satisfaction are national health care priorities. Home health care can be part of the solution, but too few people know about and utilize it. In fact, less than 9% of fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries received home health care in 2016.
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Home health care can play an important role in reducing avoidable hospitalizations, helping patients manage their conditions and medications, and improving their quality of life, especially for patients who:
- Frequently visit their health care provider
- Frequently get admitted to the hospital or visit the emergency department
- Have multiple chronic health conditions
- Take multiple medications
- Recently had a fall
- Require post-acute care after illness, injury or surgery
Patients receive high-quality, evidence-based care from an interdisciplinary team. The home health care team includes skilled nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, medical social workers and home health aides. Medicare covers 100% of home health care costs for eligible patients.
By identifying those patients who are eligible for the home health benefit, we could potentially help thousands of people stay out of the hospital and maintain their independence. And, it’s delivered at home, where most Americans prefer to receive long-term care.
Check out the infographic below to learn more about how the home health care benefit can help your patients.
Are Your Patients Getting Their Home Health Care Benefit?
