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Medicare and Home Health Care

Donna Nichols • September 13, 2023

There seems to be a lot of confusion about how Medicare and home health care works, so let’s try to clear it up for you.


Most people say, Well, I’m on Medicare, so I’m all good.


Not necessarily, it doesn’t work like that.


Medicare is just like regular health insurance plans as Medicare insurance plans differ as well. You MUST choose your plan during the open enrollment period .


What are the 4 types of Medicare?

You may not even know there are four parts to Medicare, Part A, B, C and D and a brief explanation of each is below:


  • Part A hospital
  • Part B medical
  • Part C Medicare Advantage plan aka Medicare replacement plan
  • Part D prescription coverage


Okay, you say, everyone knows there are four parts, but what do they mean?


Part A


Part A covers inpatient hospital care , for generally ninety days a year. A skilled nursing facility for one hundred days a year, home health care for one hundred days (with stipulations), and hospice care.


Part B


Part B covers doctor services, medical equipment which can include walkers, wheelchairs and oxygen concentrators every five years. This also covers homebound services, ambulance services, preventive services, therapy services and mental health services .


Part C


Part C is known as a Medicare advantage plan which may be referred to as HMOs or PPOs. This is managed care .


Part D


Finally, part D is your prescription drug coverage and almost all drugs are covered by part D.


Most Medicare plans with Part A will cover some home health care. Normally physically, occupational and speech therapy if needed. They will also cover a number of visits from a home health care nurse. The nurse and any therapists must release you from their care, however Medicare generally only pays for a certain amount of time. Hopefully you are better in that time frame.


Yes, this is very confusing, after all, Medicare is run by the government!


Remember, Medicare and Medicaid are two totally different programs and one has nothing to do with the other.


Should you find yourself in a skilled nursing facility and on Medicare, it pays one hundred days a year for rehab. If you stay in the facility for twenty days and move to an assisted living community or go home, the rehab does not automatically follow you for the remaining eighty days.


This means you will need a new order for physical therapy, occupational therapy or speech therapy at home or in an assisted living community through a home health agency.


As I stated earlier, all plans vary and you need to find the Medicare plan that’s right for you; they are NOT all the same.


Shop around, we cannot stress this enough!


Find someone knowledgeable about the Medicare insurance plans, make an appointment with them and take the time to discuss the options available.


Make sure you do your homework to have the best options available when it comes to your health care. You may have to pay a little more, but it will be worth it in the long run.


Don’t know a good Medicare agent, call us at 386-847-2322 and we will help you. Our services are FREE to you!

Make Valentine’s Day Special for Seniors

By Donna Nichols • February 5, 2025
Valentine’s Day tends to zero in on romantic love, but what about our seniors? They too often get forgotten. We have some ways to make Valentine’s Day special for them too. Spend the day with your loved one. Spending quality time with a loved one is more important to a senior than anything else. There is no greater gift than time and please make sure you have enough, so you are not rushed. Do your elderly loved one have a favorite meal? Perhaps you can prepare it for them, or if they are able, you can prepare it together. How fun would that be for you both? Be sure to discuss the enjoyment it brought you while you are sharing the meal together. How about a game of name that love song? You could prepare a playlist of love songs from the generation and play them to see how many they get correct. Or, if you can sing, you can sing some for them and see if they can recollect them. Take some time for reminiscing, go through old photo albums, or ask about old times. Ask them about when you were young and what trouble you caused; this will give you all something to laugh (or cry) about. Has your loved one been cooped up all winter? Take them out for a nice lunch, or weather permitting, a picnic in the park. Go for coffee and a donut, then head out to see a movie. Make a “date” of it. Maybe your senior is into crafts. You can design special Valentine’s Day cards for other family members. This way your senior can express their love for them and send it to them in their own unique way. You can create other greeting cards as well. Bake some special treats together. Does your senior have some favorite cookies or cake? You could bake it together, or you can bake it for them. Then you can enjoy it after you have the meal you prepared together. Yummy, delicious!! You can watch some romantic movies together if they prefer to stay in the house or the weather isn’t so good. If they like to color, you can buy them some of those large coloring books and you can color together. Don’t forget the decorations and the flowers! Make the house or apartment as festive as possible. Even if they live in as assisted living community, you can still decorate their room to the nines! Make it as festive as possible! If you live in another state or can’t be close to your senior for Valentine’s Day, how about sending them a specially crafted care package. You can hand make some gifts, add some photos of family and friends, and send a personally recorded message. You can bake some homemade treats and incorporate some things that are of personal interest to them. This will show how much you care for them and make their Valentine’s Day extra special even if you can’t be with them.  There are so many ways to make Valentine’s Day special for seniors. Let’s not forget about them; make sure to show them they are so loved too!

February is National Heart Month

By Donna Nichols • February 4, 2025
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Hydration Tips for the Winter

By Donna Nichols • January 8, 2025
I’ve written many blogs about the importance of staying hydrated in the summer, but did you know it’s just as important to stay hydrated in the winter months? I’ve shared some important tips on how to stay hydrated in the winter and why. Cold, dry air can dehydrate you easily and quickly. Even if you don’t feel thirsty. Proper hydration can help regulate your body temperature, maintain healthy organ function, and prevent fatigue, dry skin, and headaches. In the colder months, you do not feel thirsty, that’s why it’s so important to make sure you drink plenty of water. Why is winter hydration so important? Colder air tends to be drier causing moisture to evaporate through your breathing which can cause dehydration. In colder weather, you may not feel as thirsty, causing you to become dehydrated quickly. Also, wearing more clothing traps sweat inside your clothing causing more fluid loss. What are some of the benefits of staying hydrated in the winter? • Drinking enough water helps keep your skin hydrated and prevents dryness. This will help with that dry, itchy skin feeling we all get in the winter. • Water helps your body maintain a regular core temperature. Which is so important to maintain in the winter. • Drinking plenty of water supports your immune system, which helps fight off winter colds and the flu. We all want to fight those germs off! • When you are dehydrated, you become tired easily, so drinking plenty of water helps keep your energy levels up. How do you stay hydrated in the winter? • Make sure you drink plenty of water. Set reminders if you must; you probably won’t feel as thirsty in the winter, but you need to keep drinking that water! • You don’t have to drink cold water; room temperature water works. You can also drink tea or water with lemon, as long as you’re getting your water. • If you’re going out, carry a water bottle with you to ensure you have water to drink. • Eat fruits and vegetables that contain water. Tomatoes, lettuce, strawberries, watermelon, cauliflower, mushrooms, cucumber, apples, and pineapple are just a few that contain high water contents. • If you think you’re dehydrated, check your urine; if it’s a darker color, that can suggest dehydration. Urine should be a pale, yellow color. As you can see, staying hydrated in the winter is just as important as staying hydrated in the summer, if not more. In the winter you don’t realize you are thirsty therefore you tend not to drink as much water as you should. This has the potential of wreaking havoc on your body. Please make sure you drink plenty of water in the wintertime as you do in the summertime. We have rebranded our company, we are now Assisted Senior Services! Call us for ANYTHING SENIOR!! 386-847-2322!
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