Home Health Care
Home health care provides patients with chronic health conditions or those recovering from an illness or hospitalization with the help they need to remain living at home, as independently as possible. Care ranges from skilled nursing, such as giving injections, changing bandages, and rehabilitation, to help with daily activities, such as bathing and preparing meals. Home health care from one of California’s 1,200 agencies can be one of the least expensive types of long term care. Monthly costs can range from $300 to $900 for part-time help to $8,000 for full-time help. Medicare and private insurance commonly pay for most of these services for a designated period of time; be sure to check your eligibility and authorizations.
Home health care is different from the growing number of “home care” services that offer solely nonmedical assistance at home, such as help with bathing, dressing, and eating. While home health care may encompass nonmedical assistance from home health aides, Medicare and private insurance do not cover this assistance unless it is provided in conjunction with skilled medical care.