Paying for care
Homebound status
Homebound status is a Medicare rule for the home health benefit. A person is homebound when leaving home is not advised or is very hard without help, and leaving takes a lot of effort. Medical visits, short non-medical outings such as religious services, and adult day care are allowed.
Why it matters for your family
Homebound does not mean you can never leave the house. Medicare allows trips for medical care, adult day care, and short outings such as religious services. A person who goes to a doctor and needs a walker and help from another person to leave home may meet the rule. A common mistake is to think a person must be bedridden. Another is to think a homebound person can get all home care paid by Medicare. Homebound status is only one test. The person also needs skilled care ordered by a doctor. A doctor makes the call on medical need.
Source: medicare.gov
Read more: What Medicare Doesn't Cover
Related terms
- Medicare home health benefitThe Medicare home health benefit pays for part-time or intermittent skilled care at home.
- Home health careHome health care is medical care given at home for an illness or injury, such as skilled nursing and therapy.
- Skilled nursing careSkilled nursing care is nursing and therapy that only licensed professionals, or staff supervised by them, can safely provide.
- Adult day careAdult day care is a community program that gives adults supervised daytime care outside the home.
- Mobility assistanceMobility assistance is help with moving around, such as standing up, walking, using stairs, and getting in and out of a bed, chair, or car.
- Medicare Part AMedicare Part A is hospital insurance.
