October 1 update. Our PDGM and ICD-10 tools now use the FY2027 code set: 190 codes added, 30 deleted, and no existing code changed clinical group.
See what changedWho qualifies for Medicare home health, what it costs a patient, and what happens between the referral and the first visit.
These guides are for anyone arranging home health care for a parent, a partner or themselves. They explain who qualifies under Medicare, what a patient pays, and what happens in the days between a doctor's referral and the first nurse or therapist at the door.
They are written in plain language by a clinician, without sales pitches. When you are ready to choose an agency, the agency finder shows every Medicare-certified agency that serves your ZIP code, with its Medicare ratings.
What happens between a home health referral and the first visit: intake, eligibility checks, orders, who may open the case, and the CMS clocks that apply.
Medicare covers home health services at $0 cost to patients — no copay, no deductible. Here's what qualifies, what's excluded, and when you might owe something.
Medicare home health eligibility in plain language: the homebound rule, which skilled services qualify, physician certification, and 7 common myths.
