Benefits of Home Health vs Outpatient Therapy

  • Home Health Care is covered at 100% under the patient’s Medicare Part A Benefit as long as the patient meets criteria. There are NO caps or limits to home health services covered under Medicare Part A.  Outpatient Therapy Services are covered under Medicare Part B and patients pay a 20% co-pay each visit and there is a reimbursement cap of $1,860 per calendar year. 
  • Home Care is provided in the convenience of patient’s home and transportation is not needed. Outpatient Therapy Services require a patient to drive to treatment with awkward braces, bandages or devices or make transportation arrangements that could result in an out-of-pocket expense. There is also additional travel time required by patient traveling to/from the therapy center which can cause the patient to be less compliant with visits.
  • Home Health Benefit under Medicare covers a Registered Nurse to oversee patient’s vital signs, manage medications, and coordinate overall medical care with primary care physician and specialists. Outpatient Therapy providers do NOT involve a nurse to oversee a patient’s recovery.
  • Home Health Therapy is provided in the patients home allowing the Physical Therapist to perform a Home Safety Evaluation and provide patient with a checklist of needed modifications and recommendations. Outpatient Therapy is performed in a controlled environment with limited distractions.  Since services are not performed in the home Therapists are unable to make recommendations that will improve safety in an uncontrolled environment where there may be pets or obstacles. 
  • Outpatient Therapy is performed in a controlled environment with limited distractions. Since services are not performed in the home Therapists are unable to make recommendations that will improve safety in an uncontrolled environment like the patient’s where there may be pets, rugs, furniture or other obstacles.
  • Patients receiving Home Health Care receive an Individualized Plan of Care and treatment is provided on a One-to-One basis. Out-Patient therapy Centers usually book patients every 15 minutes and often treat several patients concurrently.