Yes, Medicare covers home health care when it’s medically necessary, ordered by a doctor, and provided by a Medicare-certified agency. Covered services may include skilled nursing, therapies, medical supplies, and short-term personal care to support recovery. Medicare doesn’t cover home care (long-term, nonmedical help with bathing, dressing, mobility, supervision, or household tasks) unless these services are part of a doctor-ordered home health plan that also includes skilled care. Understanding this difference can help you choose the safest, most affordable support for your loved one.
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It’s easy to confuse home care and home health care, but Medicare treats them differently and only covers certain types of support.
| Type of care | What it includes | Does Medicare cover it? |
|---|---|---|
| Home health care | Skilled nursing, rehabilitation therapies, medical supplies, and short-term personal care tied to skilled services | Yes |
| Home care (nonmedical) | Long-term help with dressing, bathing, cooking, cleaning, companionship, mobility, and supervision | Only when paired with skilled care in a home health plan |
No, Medicare won’t pay for nonmedical home care unless your loved one is also receiving covered home health services involving skilled care.
Nonmedical home care includes:
However, Medicare home care benefits may cover personal care that’s provided in conjunction alongside eligible home health services, such as transitional home care. To qualify, your loved one must first meet the eligibility criteria for Medicare-covered home health care.
Medicare covers home health care services that are medically reasonable and necessary. These services must be ordered by a doctor and provided by a Medicare-certified home health agency for Medicare to cover them.[01]
Medicare covers part-time or intermittent skilled nursing services. This generally means:
Covered skilled nursing services may include:
Therapy services must help restore or maintain your loved one’s ability to function after an illness, injury, or hospital stay. Medicare covers:
Aides are covered only when your loved one also needs skilled care. They can help with activities of daily living (ADLs), such as:
A medical social worker may be covered when emotional or social concerns affect your loved one’s recovery. These services must be ordered by a doctor and paired with skilled care.
Medicare covers items such as:[01]
For DME — such as walkers, wheelchairs, hospital beds, or oxygen equipment — Medicare usually pays 80%, and you pay 20%.
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Medicare won’t cover:
Home health care agencies must give you or your loved one an Advance Beneficiary Notice of Non-coverage (ABN) before providing services or supplies that Medicare likely won’t cover.
Medicare can pay for home health care under either Part A or Part B. Part A may apply after a recent hospital stay, while Part B usually covers care that’s medically necessary even without a hospitalization. Knowing which part applies helps you understand your loved one’s coverage and costs.
| Coverage Question | Medicare Part A | Medicare Part B |
|---|---|---|
| Does it cover home health care? | Yes, but only in limited situations. | Yes, and it’s the most common way home health care is covered. |
| When does it apply? | After a recent inpatient hospital or skilled nursing facility (SNF) stay, if all home health requirements are met. | When home health care is medically necessary even without a recent hospital stay. |
| What’s covered? | Same benefit as Part B: skilled nursing, therapies, medical supplies, and short-term personal care tied to skilled services. | Same benefit as Part A. |
| How much does the patient pay? | $0 for covered home health services; 20% coinsurance for durable medical equipment (DME). | $0 for covered home health services; 20% coinsurance for DME. |
| Is a hospital stay required? | Yes; generally requires a qualifying inpatient or SNF stay. | No hospital stay required. |
| What triggers coverage? | Discharge planner or doctor orders home health as part of post-acute recovery. | Doctor certifies homebound status and need for skilled services. |
| How often is it used? | Less common today. | Most common payer for home health care. |
| What’s not covered? | Long-term home care, custodial care, supervision, errands, or 24-hour care. | Same exclusions as Part A. Medicare never covers long-term home care alone. |
Read more:How Much Does In-Home Care Cost in 2025?
Yes. Medicare Advantage plans, also known as Medicare Part C, must provide the same home health care coverage as Original Medicare.
Some Medicare Advantage plans may offer extra benefits such as:
Coverage varies by plan, so be sure to check your loved one’s policy.
Medicare covers an initial 60-day episode of home health services.[01]
After that, your loved one’s doctor must review the plan of care and recertify the need for ongoing services.
If skilled care is still needed, Medicare may continue coverage in 30-day increments.
Medicare doesn’t cover long-term care in any setting. Home health care is designed to:
Medicare will pay for home health care only if a person requires skilled care for:
Your loved one’s doctor may approve more care if it’s clear when the need for skilled nursing will end.[01]
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Medicare will pay for home health care only if your loved one meets all the following requirements:[01]
Medicare may cover home health care for a person living with dementia if they need skilled care. This might include:
Medicare won’t cover room and board in a memory care community.
If Medicare coverage ends while your parent still needs support, learn what to do when Medicare stops paying for your parent’s care.
If your loved one needs Medicare-covered home health care, start by speaking with their doctor or hospital discharge planner. You can also compare Medicare-certified home health agencies on the Medicare website.
If they need nonmedical home care, A Place for Mom’s Senior Living Advisors can explain available options — including independent living, assisted living, and memory care — all at no cost to families. Advisors can help you find care that fits your loved one’s needs and provides peace of mind for everyone involved.
No. Medicare won’t cover long-term custodial care unless it’s part of a home health plan that includes skilled care.
No, generally, Medicare covers 100% of all approved home health care costs, but you may need to pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount for any durable medical equipment.
Yes, you can choose your own home health care agency. However, it must be a Medicare-certified agency for Medicare to cover the costs.
No. Medicare won’t pay family caregivers to provide home health care. It only pays for Medicare-certified home health agencies.
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. (2025, July). Medicare and home health care. Medicare.gov.
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