How Can You Cover the Cost of Home Rehabilitation after an Injury or Illness?

Most dread the thought of a lengthy stay in the hospital, even for severe injuries and illnesses. Fortunately, advances in technology now allow a number of routine aspects of care to be performed by trained professionals in the comfort and privacy of your own home. If you've recently been hospitalized, your discharge instructions may include information on hiring a nursing service or in-home caretaking service to help you continue your recuperation at home. Here are some short term home rehabilitation and caretaking services, as well as some of the resources available to help you pay for this care.

Medicare

If you're age 65 or older and eligible for Medicare, you may be able to have any costs for short term in-home care partially or fully covered. Medicare will cover intermittent skilled nursing care performed in your home for a period of time -- you'll owe nothing for the costs of the care itself, and may be charged up to 20 percent of the cost of any medical equipment associated with your care (like a limb immobilizer or accessibility aids if you have trouble standing or walking. This coverage can provide you with a great way to reduce your medical costs while traveling the road to recovery in your home, on your own terms.

If you qualify for Medicare but haven't yet taken advantage of it, you may find it worthwhile to sign up. Although you may be able to apply for and receive Medicare after you've discovered the need for in-home health care, you'll likely be expected to pay many costs out of pocket until your coverage kicks in, and may then have to go through a complex reimbursement process.

Private disability insurance

If you're too young to qualify for Medicare, your employer-sponsored short or long term disability plan may have some provision for medical payments. You'll want to speak to your employer's human resources manager or benefits coordinator to determine whether partially or fully subsidized in-home health care is available. Because it's generally much less expensive to pay for in home care than to cover the cost of hospitalization or a residential rehab facility, many insurers have more generous coverage when it comes to in-home care than facility care.

Public assistance

If you're low-income, you may qualify for Medicaid-covered in home healthcare under a state waiver program. These programs are designed to avoid the use of nursing homes for the temporarily disabled, and could be a good option if you can't afford to pay for in-home nursing care out of pocket. You'll want to contact your state's health insurance board or health and human services branch of government to determine whether you'd qualify for Medicaid and, if so, what you'll need to do to receive coverage. For more information, talk to a short-term rehabilitation expert like The Village at Morrisons Cove.

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