Medicare Part A or Part B covers certain home health services when all coverage requirements are met. It does not cover continuous home care, general housekeeping, meal delivery, or personal care when personal care is the only service needed.
Eligibility and covered services
A person generally must be under the care of a doctor or another allowed provider, need part-time or intermittent skilled nursing care or qualifying therapy, and be homebound. The provider must certify the need for home health care and review the plan of care. A Medicare-certified home health agency must provide the services.
Covered services may include part-time or intermittent skilled nursing, physical therapy, speech-language pathology, continuing occupational therapy, medical social services, and medical supplies. Part-time home health aide services can be covered only while the person is also receiving covered skilled nursing or therapy. Durable medical equipment can be covered under separate Part B rules.
Homebound does not mean a person can never leave home. Medicare generally considers a person homebound when leaving home requires considerable and taxing effort, assistance from another person, or a supportive device, and leaving home is not normally done often. Absences for medical treatment and certain short nonmedical trips do not automatically end eligibility.
Costs and plan rules
Original Medicare charges $0 for covered home health services. For covered durable medical equipment, the person generally pays 20 percent of the Medicare-approved amount after the Part B deductible. The home health agency must explain in writing if it believes Medicare will not cover a service or supply.
Medicare Advantage plans must cover Medicare-covered home health care. Network, referral, and prior authorization rules may apply. Costs and any extra in-home benefits vary by plan.
What to do next
- Ask the treating provider whether the skilled need and homebound requirements are met.
- Use a Medicare-certified agency and ask for the written plan of care.
- Request advance written notice for services the agency expects Medicare not to cover.
- Read Medicare’s home health services rules.
Sources
Coverage and costs can change each calendar year. Check current Medicare rules and current plan documents before receiving care. A provider’s estimate is not a Medicare coverage decision. Final payment depends on the claim and the applicable coverage requirements.
Last reviewed: August 2026. Medicare rules and plan benefits can change.