Home Health FAQs

Home health care provides skilled health care services wherever you call home. Our home health team works collaboratively with you, your family and your doctor to help you recover from illness, surgery or injury, regain your independence, and become as self-sufficient as possible.

You’ll receive the services you need based on an individual plan of care developed by your doctor with our clinical team. Some of the home health care services we offer include:

• Skilled nursing care
• Home health aides
• Physical therapy
• Occupational therapy
• Speech therapy
• Medical social work
• Pain management
• Medication management
• Wound care
• Infusion therapy
• Psychiatric services

We also offer several specialized home health programs for patients with COPD, heart failure and conditions that increase their risk of falling.

You may be eligible to receive home health care under the Medicare benefit if:

• Your doctor prescribes home health care for you.
• You need either skilled nursing care or therapy (physical/occupational/speech therapy) on an intermittent basis.
• Your condition limits your ability to leave home, rendering you “homebound.”

Amedisys home health care can help in several ways:

• Keeps patients comfortable at home, where they typically recover faster with fewer complications
• Reduces avoidable trips to the hospital
• Supports caregivers and loved ones
• Uses evidence-based clinical practices so you receive high-quality care backed by science
• Offers an interdisciplinary approach that gives you access to a diverse team of healthcare professionals
• Provides personalized care planning tailored to your needs

Continue learning about the benefits of home health care.

You or a loved one may benefit from home health care if you:

• Have a chronic illness such as heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease or COPD
• Are recovering from surgery, hospitalization or illness
• Need help to get out of the house
• Frequently visit your doctor or the hospital
• Need education to manage your condition effectively
• Are at risk of severe illness due to COVID-19 (age 65+ or any age with an underlying condition)

Read more signs you or a loved one might need home health care.

Take our home health assessment quiz to find out if home health may be right for you.

On the first visit, a nurse or therapist will conduct a thorough interview and professional assessment. Our assessment identifies areas where you may benefit from education and tools to manage your health.

We partner with your doctor as well as family and caregivers to determine the best services for your needs. This team approach actively engages you and your caregivers in your health care and, if applicable, helps to make the transition from a hospital or nursing facility to your home much easier.

The frequency and type of home health visits are based on your personal plan of care. Your doctor may change your plan of care as necessary, increasing or decreasing the number of visits or services provided, in order to provide you with the best home health care for your needs.

Absolutely, and we’d be honored to care for you or your loved one. Federal law gives patients the freedom to choose their health care provider. 

Amedisys is one of the nation’s largest home health care providers, with over 300 care centers nationwide. To search for the Amedisys home health agency near you, visit our care center directory.

A nurse or therapist will contact you by phone to schedule the first visit. If you’re coming from a hospital or nursing facility, the initial visit will usually happen within 24 hours after you’re discharged to make the transition easier.

Medicare pays 100% of the cost of home health care services for eligible patients. Your state’s Medicaid program or your private insurance may also cover home health care.

Learn more about the cost of home health care and who pays for home health care.

Yes. Our home health care centers are Medicare-certified. This is a requirement for Medicare to cover the cost of home health services.

Your residence is wherever you call home. This may be your house, an apartment, a relative’s home, a senior community, or some other type of residence. However, hospitals, skilled nursing facilities and intermediate care facilities may not be considered a “home,” which would mean we cannot provide home health services in those settings.

Your doctor will determine the number of visits you receive, how often the visits should occur and how long they should last, based on your needs and health status.

We thoroughly screen and train our home health team members. Patient care staff have professional licenses and certifications that are applicable to their role. We also perform background checks and require several personal and professional references. Once hired, Amedisys employees continue honing their skills through an extensive orientation process and ongoing training programs.

Homebound means your condition is such that:

• You’re normally unable to safely leave your home without help from others and the aid of assistive devices (such as crutches, canes, walkers or wheelchairs).
• Leaving home would require considerable and taxing effort. You can generally leave home as often as you need for medical treatment that cannot be provided in the home and still be considered homebound. You’re also allowed brief absences from the home for some non-medical reasons, such as an occasional trip to the barber or beauty shop, to attend church, or for unique family events (like a graduation or wedding). Such trips must be infrequent and require a considerable and taxing effort. 

Home health care provides skilled clinical treatment for an illness or injury, with the goal of helping you recover and regain your independence. Home health care can also help you manage a chronic condition like heart disease, COPD or diabetes. Additionally, home health care can sometimes include certain personal care services, like help bathing and dressing, as part of the plan of care ordered by your doctor.

Personal home care services include help with bathing, dressing, meal preparation or your normal activities of daily living in order to remain independent within your home. Learn more about the difference between home health and home care.

Hospice care provides compassionate, supportive care and comfort for those who are facing a terminal illness. It offers medical, social, psychological, bereavement and spiritual services that support a patient and their loved ones.

No. Hospitalization is not a requirement to receive home health care. Many patients are referred by their doctor.