How To Choose a Home Care Provider

It's Your right, It's Your Choice!

At some point in your life, you or someone you love may require home health care.Choosing the right home health care agency is a major decision and you will want to know all the facts, which will often require some research. All home health care patients have the right to choose their own home health care provider within their area. Here are a few tips to help you find the quality care you deserve.

Choosing a home health agency is “YOUR CHOICE.” Ask for a list of home health agencies in your community. You can receive this information from your physician, nursing home case worker, hospital social workers or discharge planners, or you can look in the yellow pages under “home health services.” In addition, you can find Medicare-approved home health agencies at www.medicare.gov looking at "Home Health Compare". Once you’ve identified several agencies, learn more about the services they provide along with their reputation within the community.

Here are a few examples of questions you may want to ask each agency when making your decision. Your very first question is do I qualify for home health care? Is this agency licensed and is it Medicare certified? Many states do require a home health agency to be licensed and if you have Medicare, the agency must be Medicare certified in order for Medicare to pay for services provided. If the agency is Medicare certified, it means the agency meets federals standards. Ask the staff what will be covered under your insurance plan and what should you expect to pay out-of-pocket. Do they have staff available to provide the type of care your doctor ordered, and when will they start? If there is a medical emergency, is there someone available 24 hours a day, seven days a week that you can call? What types of services does the agency provide? Do they offer personal care services such as bathing and dressing and if so, is it provided by a certified home health aide? How long has the agency been serving the community? And most important, don’t be afraid to ask them for references.

Your home is important to you. It is a reflection of who you are and it is where you feel the most comfortable. It is only natural that you would want to stay in your own home to recover, and that is what Prairieland Home Care is all about.

What Are my Rights as a Patient?

Federal law requires that all individuals receiving home care services be informed of their rights as a patient. Following is a model patient bill of rights the National Association for Home Care (NAHC) has developed, based on the patient rights currently enforced by law.

Who is eligible to receive Medicare-covered home health care?

If you have Medicare you can use your home health care benefit if you meet the following conditions:

• You must receive a doctors order for home health care
• You require one or all of the following: skilled nursing care, physical therapy, speech and language therapy, or occupational therapy
• You must be homebound or unable to leave your home unassisted. Homebound means that leaving your home takes a considerable effort. A person may leave home for medical treatment or short non-medical absences such as a religious service or a trip to the barber or hairdresser shop.
• The home health agency must be Medicare-certifed

Home care patients have the right to:

• be fully informed of all his or her rights and responsibilities by the home care agency;
• choose care providers;
• appropriate and professional care in accordance with physician orders;
• receive a timely response from the agency to his or her request for service;
• be admitted for service only if the agency has the ability to provide safe, professional care at the level of intensity needed;
• receive reasonable continuity of care;
• receive information necessary to give informed consent prior to the start of any treatment or procedure;
• be advised of any change in the plan of care, before the change is made;
• refuse treatment within the confines of the law and to be informed of the consequences of his or her action;
• be informed of his or her rights under state law to formulate advanced directives;
• have health care providers comply with advance directives in accordance with state law requirements;
• be informed within reasonable time of anticipated termination of service or plans for transfer to another agency;
• be fully informed of agency policies and charges for services, including eligibility for third-party reimbursements;
• be referred elsewhere, if denied service solely on his or her inability to pay;
• voice grievances and suggest changes in service or staff without fear of restraint or discrimination;
• a fair hearing for any individual to whom any service has been denied, reduced, or terminated, or who is otherwise aggrieved by agency action. The fair hearing procedure shall be set forth by each agency as appropriate to the unique patient situation (i.e., funding source, level of care, diagnosis);
• be informed of what to do in the event of an emergency; and
• be advised of the telephone number and hours of operation of the state's home health hot line, which receives questions and complaints about Medicare-certified and state-licensed home care agencies.

You may require some assistance in your home, however you may not need the services of a Medicare-certifed home health agency. You may need someone to help you with bathing, dressing, shopping, meal preparation or some basic assistance around your home that do not warrant the services of a registered nurse or therapist. For a list of licensed non-Medicare certified home care agencies in your area, please contact Prairieland Home Care and we will be happy to assist you.