I need help at home after my surgery. Will Medicare cover a home health aide or am I on my own?

Question

Larry Dalton · Accepted Answer

Yes, under traditional Medicare A & B with a Medigap plan, Medicare will cover some home health services after surgery. Under Medicare Advantage plans, this will require prior approval by the insurance companies that carry the plan.

Answered by Larry Dalton on April 5, 2025

Broker Licensed in OK & TX

Answered by Larry Dalton Medicare Insurance Agent

Edward Givens · Answer

Yes, Medicare can cover home health aide services after your surgery, but certain conditions must be met.​

Eligibility Criteria:

To qualify for Medicare-covered home health services, you must:

Be under the care of a doctor who certifies that you need intermittent skilled nursing care, physical therapy, speech-language pathology, or continued occupational therapy.​


Be homebound, meaning it's difficult for you to leave your home without assistance due to your medical condition.​
Boost Home Healthcare

Receive services from a Medicare-certified home health agency. ​

Services Covered:

If you meet these criteria, Medicare may cover:

Part-time or intermittent skilled nursing care (e.g., wound care, injections).​

Therapy services, such as physical, occupational, or speech-language therapy.​


Home health aide services, which provide personal care like bathing and dressing, but only if you're also receiving skilled care as mentioned above.​


Medical social services to help with social and emotional concerns related to your illness.​


Certain medical supplies and durable medical equipment (e.g., walkers, wheelchairs). ​

Limitations:

Medicare does not cover:​

24-hour-a-day care at home.

Meals delivered to your home.

Homemaker services like shopping, cleaning, and laundry when these are the only services you need.​



Custodial or personal care that helps you with daily living activities (like bathing, dressing, or using the bathroom), when this is the only care you need.

Timothy Brown · Answer

If you need skilled nursing or therapy, Medicare may cover home health aide services to help with personal care needs. However, if you only need assistance with personal care and not skilled services, Medicare will not cover home health aide services. Home health aide services are a specific type of home health care that provides personal care assistance, like help with bathing, dressing, and using the bathroom.

Answered by Timothy Brown on April 28, 2025

Broker Licensed in PA, CT, DE & 15 other states

Answered by Timothy Brown Medicare Insurance Agent

Andrew Zurbuch, MBA · Answer

Yes, Original Medicare does cover home health care. Please contact 1800MEDICARE & speak to a representative. If your on a Medicare Advantage Policy contact your Broker. Thank you.

Plans are insured or covered by a Medicare Advantage (HMO, PPO and PFFS) organization with a Medicare contract and/or a Medicare-approved Part D sponsor. Enrollment in the plan depends on the plan’s contract renewal with Medicare. We do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your options.

Gary Henderson · Answer

All answers depend on whether you have a Medicare supplement plan in addition to your original Medicare or Medicare advantage plan 
If you have original Medicare, yes it will cover at home care. Medical care not washing dishes, making food things like that it'll be covered at 80% and you pay the other 20%. If you have a Medicare supplement plan, it'll be covered at 100%. If you have a Medicare advantage plan, it's going to depend on each insurance company and if you have an HMO you may have a lot of problems with that. Contact your Medicare advantage insurance company for more details with them

Vachik Chakhbazian · Answer

Medicare will typically pay for the full cost of these services if a Medicare-certified home health agency provides them.

Mel Stevens · Answer

First of all, I always wish everyone a speedy recovery after surgery or procedure has been completed. If possible, before the procedure is completed it's always a good idea to call your insurance company and verify your benefits. In general, if an outpatient procedure is completed like a routine colonoscopy or a shoulder surgery then usually there is no in home care available. Many plans will offer low or sometimes no cost visits for physical therapy, acupuncture or chiropractic visits if needed after surgery. If the procedure was more evasive or you've had to stay in the hospital for serveral consecutive days then many plans will offer some home health aide along with sending you home with up to 2 weeks of meals to keep assist with keeping you fed and healthy during the critical stages of recovery.

Answered by Mel Stevens on May 5, 2025

Broker Licensed in AZ

Answered by Mel Stevens Medicare Insurance Agent

Glenn Alterman · Answer

Yes Medicare cavers this, but not as a stand-alone service. Medicare only covers home health as an example when it’s related to a total physical therapy package

Eric Palmer · Answer

Medicare part A covers Hospital insurance and Medicare part B covers the medical. Part B does cover eligible home health service as long as you need Part-time or intermittent skilled services and you are “home-bound”.

Answered by Eric Palmer on April 9, 2025

Agent Licensed in AR, MO & TN

Answered by Eric Palmer Medicare Insurance Agent

I need help at home after my surgery. Will Medicare cover a home health aide or am I on my own?

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I need help at home after my surgery. Will Medicare cover a home health aide or am I on my own?

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