How Do I Pay for Home Care Services
Medicare, Medicaid and most employer-sponsored HMO and PPO plans will only reimburse you for intermittent visits from a home care nurse on a temporary basis and only when your loved one has a specific qualifying medical diagnosis. In general, these types of insurance policies are not designed to pay for ongoing, hourly caregiving services that are classified as “Long-Term Care.” (Use the Official Medicare Eligibility Tool to learn more.)
That said, there are many other financial options available to you in order to pay for ongoing care services:
- Long-term care insurance
- Reverse mortgages
- Employer-sponsored Health Savings Account (HSA) or Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
- Employee-sponsored caregiving stipends, such as "Back-Up Care" programs for employees who are adult caregivers and travel for work
- Family trust funds
- Workers' compensation insurance
- Catastrophic auto insurance
- State-subsidized home- and community-based services, often referred to as "Medical Waiver" programs. (Age and income qualifications do apply.)
It is an honor every day to serve others in their homes and provide them with the type of care that they deserve. Receiving the RightCare Award was another honor. It wouldn't have been possible if not for my clients. I always think of them first. I do my job because I love to do it and not because I expect to receive any gifts or an award. To me the award is just as special as receiving a smiley face from a client, showing their appreciation.
Patricia, 2008 RightCare Award Runner-Up