Home health is covered under the Part A Medicare benefit. Home health care is medically necessary skilled nursing care and other services such as physical and occupational therapy, speech-language therapy and medical social services.  Home health care is suitable for rehabilitation and for chronically ill or disabled people to help patients maintain their highest level of ability or health.

Home health agencies measure and report performance on quality measures that indicate how well their patients perform activities of daily living such as bathing and taking their medicines. They also include data about physical status and use of hospitalization and emergency care. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) makes performance data available to the public to help consumers make more informed decisions.  Public reporting also provides additional incentive for agencies to improve the care they provide.

Go to Medicare's Home Health Compare website to look up and compare home health agencies in your area. Or call 1-800-MEDICARE.