Selecting the Right Home Health Care Agency

Learning as much as you can about a home care agency is the best way to determine which agency is best for you or a loved one. Following are some questions you should ask prospective home care providers about the services they offer.

• How long has the agency been serving the community?

• Is the agency certified by Medicare?

• Is the agency licensed by the state?

• Does the agency assign supervisors to oversee the quality of care patients are receiving in their homes?

• What procedures are in place to handle emergencies? Are the agency caregivers available 24 hours a day, seven days a week?

The following criteria determine if a patient is eligible to receive home health care under the Medicare benefits:

• Patient must require intermittent skilled nursing care, physical therapy or speech therapy.

• Patient must be homebound.

• Patient must be currently under a physician's care. All home health services must be ordered by a physician.