During this current economic crisis, it is becoming more and more important to take advantage of available home care insurance, funding and other resources. You may be surprised, but there are several resources that can help cover most or all of your home health care costs.

Home Health Care Funding Options

Below is a list of homecare insurance options and programs that can help with home health care costs. Every insurance or funding program has specific requirements that a beneficiary must meet. Use the information and links below to research which options may be best for you or your loved one.

• Veterans Affairs (VA): All Veterans enrolled in the VA health care system are eligible for home and community based long-term care services. A series of clinical indicators and conditions help VA staff identify the need for these services. Contact your local VA center to learn more about these services.
• MI Choice Waiver Program: The MI Choice Waiver Program (also referred to as the Medicaid Waiver Program and Waiver) provides home care services to eligible adults who meet income and asset criteria.
• Long Term Care Insurance: There are insurance plans that individuals can purchase on their own or through an employer.
• Auto Insurance: If you are injured in an automobile accident, check with your auto insurance agent and ask if you are eligible for home care services.
• Workers Compensation Insurance: Unfortunately, injuries can and do happen in the workplace. Some injuries are severe enough to require additional support in the home. If you were injured at work and need assistance at home as a result of that injury, ask if you qualify for home health care services.
• Department of Human Services (DHS) and Community Mental Health (CMH) Programs: Contact your local DHS and CMH departments and ask about their home-based services that are able to assist with in-home care.
• Medicare: In order for Medicare to cover home health care services, the home health agency caring for the client must be approved by Medicare and the client must meet all of the three of the following conditions:
  • The client’s physician must have determined they need medical care in their home and the physician must prepare a plan of care at the home. That plan must be reviewed every 60 days or more.
  • The client must need at least one of the following: 
    • Intermittent (not full-time) skilled nursing care
    • Physical therapy or speech language pathology services
    • Continuous need for occupational therapy
  • The client must be homebound.

Why Private Pay May Be Best

In addition to the funding options above, private pay services is always an option. Whether you’re using insurance or other funding options, know that you can supplement with private pay services for additional needs that may not be covered. In fact, it is possible that you will need private pay services because each of the above homecare insurances and options will only allow for a certain number of hours each week. Many times, the hours allotted simply are not enough to cover your loved one’s needs.