For Medicare to cover help at home, a person must be homebound or frail. A. Most often your doctor will refer you to a home care agency or equipment provider when you become ill and need more care and services at home. This may happen while you are in the hospital, but you do not have to be in the hospital to get home care services. You should tell your doctor if you are having problems at home and think you could benefit from help. How long you receive home care assistance depends on how long you need that help, if there is someone to provide the care, as well as how you pay for it.
Some agencies provide services according to a person's ability to pay.
The cost depends on the service, the equipment and your insurance. If you were in the hospital recently, Medicare or your insurance company may cover services and needed equipment. The agencies on the list below can identify groups that will pay for services.