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Frequently Asked Questions
For an overview of what home care can do for you or your family member, watch the video below. For more specific questions, take a look at the information below, submit your question online, or call our Care Coordination department at 585-272-1930.
What is home care?
“Home Care” is sometimes used to describe any type of care - medical or non-medical - that is provided in the home. However, there are significant differences between “Home Care” and “Companion Care.”
- “Home Care” typically describes services that are medically necessary and are provided by a licensed nurse or therapist, or that involve assisting a patient with personal care such as bathing, dressing, getting out of bed, using the toilet, eating, and walking. Home Care is frequently covered by health insurance.
- “Home Health Aides” must complete a minimum of 80 hours of training, must receive certification from New York State, and must be supervised periodically by a nurse.
- “Companion Care” typically describes services such as providing a client with companionship or, in the case of a client who cannot be left alone safely, with supervision. Services may also include meal preparation, laundry, light housekeeping, errands, shopping, and care of gentle pets. Companion Care is most often not covered by health insurance.
- “Companions” are not required to complete any training or be certified by the state. Companions may not legally provide assistance with personal care such as bathing, dressing, getting out of bed, using the toilet, eating, and walking unless they possess the necessary certification.
What services do home care agencies provide?
Services available from a Home Care agency will vary depending upon the individual agency. HCR can provide you or your family member with:
- Skilled nursing
- Physical, occupational, and speech/language therapy
- Dietary/nutritional education and guidance
- Geriatric care management and medical social worker services
- Home health aide assistance with personal care
- Optional companion care
What does it mean to be homebound?
An individual’s status as either “homebound” or “not homebound” can sometimes mean the difference between being eligible for insurance-paid Home Care services or not. Homebound status is generally defined as:
- People who leave home only occasionally and with difficulty, due to an illness or injury. They may need assistance or use an assistive device such as a walker.
- People who are unable to leave home for casual outings or errands, or to participate in activities other than medical visits or religious services.
- People who are physically and/or emotionally unable to receive care on an outpatient basis.
Do I qualify for home care services? Will my insurance cover home care services?
An in-home assessment is the only certain way to determine whether you are eligible for Home Care services covered by your insurance. Qualification standards for home care services vary by insurance company and plan. For Medicare, patients are generally eligible for Home Care if they:
- are homebound;
- need intermittent, skilled nursing care or therapy;
- are under a physician’s care.
Insurers other than Medicare may consider a need for assistance with personal care such as dressing or bathing may be sufficient justification for insurance-eligible Home Care. Of course, Home Care services may always be paid for on a private care basis. Sometimes a combination of insurance-covered services and private care services will best meet your needs. HCR accepts a long list of insurance plans, but your best option is to contact HCR’s Care Coordination department, either online or by calling 585-272-1901. We’ll review the specifics of your situation, and advise you regarding your best options.
What should I look for when choosing a home care agency?
When evaluating potential Home Care providers, ask about accreditations, licenses, and certifications. The full-service, Certified or Licensed Home Care agencies will have been reviewed and approved by the state, and must adhere to state and federal regulations designed to protect patient safety. Such agencies will provide careful supervision of all personnel, and perform pre-employment criminal background checks, drug screening, and reference checks on all staff.
Beyond this, there are two primary factors to consider when selecting the best agency to meet your needs:
What types of services you will need?
- If you or your family member’s needs are medical in nature or will involve personal care, you need a Home Care agency, and not a Companion Care provider.
- Are your medical requirements encompassed in an agency’s “specialty program”? Some Home Care agencies have developed specialty programs around a given medical need, investing in staff education and certifications which enable those staff members to deliver superior care to patients having those needs. In addition to its more generalized nursing, therapy, and home health aide services, HCR also presently supports specialty programs for:
- Heart Failure (CHF)
- Diabetes
- Falls Prevention
- Hip and Knee Joint Replacement
- Parkinson Disease
- Stroke
- Wound and Ostomy Care
- Do you have specific language requirements, or cultural values that you wish the agency to understand, accommodate, and respect? Will your language needs be supported by the agency's customer service staff, as well as by those who visit your home? HCR can provide you with bi-lingual home care and customer services staff who speak Spanish, Russian, Ukrainian, and a number of additional languages. And all HCR staff is trained in providing “transcultural”, or culturally-competent care. HCR was the first to offer a Hispanic Home Care Program in the Rochester area, and our well-established service remains the premier program of its kind serving the region.
- Will it be necessary for your care provider to transport you to appointments or events, using either your vehicle or their own? Be sure the provider you select is willing to provide this service. Because of the insurance risk this can represent, some agencies do not allow the driving of patients, regardless of whose vehicle is used. HCR can provide you with specially-instructed private care Aides who have been approved to drive you or your family member in your vehicle.
How do you expect to pay for those services?
- There are only three Certified Home Health Agencies in Monroe County who may provide Home Care for patients insured by either Medicare or Medicaid. Of these three certified agencies, Home Care of Rochester | HCR is the only one not owned by a major hospital or insurance provider, enabling us to focus exclusively on delivering quality patient care.
- If you expect your Home Care services to be covered by Medicare or Medicaid, you must select one of these three firms as your Home Care provider.
Are there online resources to help me compare home care agencies?
Medicare's "Home Health Compare" tool on the Website is available at no charge, and allows you to compare Certified and Licensed home health agencies in your area. Visit http://www.medicare.gov/HHCompare/ to compare local agencies by the types of services they offer, and the quality of care they provide. Home Health Compare will provide you with:
- Name, address and telephone number of the agency
- Services offered by the agency
- Initial date of the agency's Medicare certification (if applicable)
- Type of ownership
- Metrics regarding the quality of care provided by the agency
How do I arrange for home care services?
Home care services are often recommended by your physician or, in the case of hospitalization, by a social worker or discharge planner at the hospital from which you are being discharged. These individuals will generally initiate your referral to a recommended home care agency.
Alternatively, you may contact a home care agency at any time and ask for assistance in starting services. To request initiation of home care services with HCR, contact our Care Coordination department either online, or by calling 585-272-1901.
How long does it take to get home care services started?
Typically HCR can initiate delivery of home care services to you or your loved one within 24 hours of contact from you, your physician’s office, or your hospital.
Does HCR have anyone to help me understand the health care system?
HCR has an expert staff of medical social workers that can assist you in understanding the complexities of health care. They can help you find community resources you may need, assist you with insurance and financial forms or applications, and provide family counseling, especially when there are difficult decisions to be made about you or your loved one’s health care.
