The Advanced Care Program (home care) provides skilled nursing care and medical social work services for patients who are homebound with a life-limiting illness. Medicare covers some home health care if:

• Your doctor decides you need medical care in your home, and makes a plan for your care at home; and
  
• You need at least one of the following: intermittent (and not full time) skilled nursing care, or physical therapy or speech language pathology services, or a continued need for occupational therapy; and
  
• You are homebound. This means you are normally unable to leave home and that leaving home is a major effort. When you leave home, it must be infrequent, for a short time. You may attend religious services. You may leave the house to get medical treatment, including therapeutic or psychosocial care. You can also get care in an adult day-care program that is licensed or certified by a state or accredited to furnish adult day care services in a state.

If you would like to discuss payment for home health care in more detail, please contact Dwight Wilson, Mission Hospice & Home Care CEO at (650) 554-1000.