Before You Choose You should select home health care services as as carefully as you select a physician, a lawyer or any other professional. Home health care should help relieve you of emotional and financial burdens, not add to your worries with unexpected costs or unsatisfactory performance. Here are some areas to investigate before you make up your mind. The local Chamber of Commerce or Better Business Bureau can help you verify the reputation of private companies offering home care services. Bonding of employees entering your home is an important protection against theft.
Benefits vary greatly, as do requirement for coverage.
The home health service you choose should be able to help you determine coverage. Medicare is a federal health care program for older and certain disabled Americans. Medicaid programs are health programs for the needy jointly supervised and financed by the federal and state governments. In general, about 80 percent of the nation's Blue Cross plans provide some home care benefits. More than a third of these require some prior hospitalization.