Caregivers and credentials
Home health aide (HHA)
A home health aide (HHA) helps people at home with personal care, such as bathing, dressing, and moving around, and may help with simple health tasks under a nurse's direction. Medicare covers part-time aide care only when a person also receives skilled nursing or therapy from a Medicare-certified agency.
Why it matters for your family
Families often hear HHA used for any home caregiver, but the term has a specific meaning in Medicare. A Medicare home health aide works for a certified home health agency, under a care plan, and only while skilled care is also in place. Medicare does not cover aide care when it is the only care needed. A common mistake is expecting an HHA to stay for long hours. Medicare covers part-time or intermittent care only. Training and title rules vary by state. Ask what training an aide has and who supervises the work.
Source: medicare.gov
Related terms
- Certified nursing assistant (CNA)A certified nursing assistant (CNA) is a trained worker who gives basic care, such as bathing, dressing, toileting, moving patients, and taking vital signs, under the supervision of a nurse.
- Personal care aide (PCA)A personal care aide (PCA) is a non-medical caregiver who helps with daily tasks, such as bathing, dressing, meals, housekeeping, and errands, and often provides company.
- Home health careHome health care is medical care given at home for an illness or injury, such as skilled nursing and therapy.
- Medicare home health benefitThe Medicare home health benefit pays for part-time or intermittent skilled care at home.
- Homebound statusHomebound status is a Medicare rule for the home health benefit.
- Home care agencyA home care agency is a company that employs or contracts caregivers and sends them to clients' homes.
