Do you know the difference between Home Health Care and Hospice Care?
Goal of Home Health Care: Curative/Rehabilitation for the patient
Eligibility Requirements:
Physician certifies that the patient is in need of intermittent skilled nursing or therapy:
- The patient’s condition is expected to improve in a reasonable period of time.
- The patient has a need for a skilled therapist to make a maintenance program for the patient’s condition.
- The patient has a need for a skilled therapist to do maintenance therapy in order for the patient to improve.
Goal of Hospice Care: Comfort Care, which includes palliation of pain & symptoms with holistic approach for both the patient & family
Eligibility Requirements:
Two physicians must certify that a patient has a life expectancy of six months or less, should the disease take its natural course.
- The patient accepts palliative care (for comfort) instead of care to cure the illness.
- The patient signs a statement choosing hospice care instead of other Medicare-covered treatments for the terminal illness.
