Full Definition

Home health care is distinct from private-duty home care (also called custodial home care). Home health involves clinically skilled services: wound care, IV medication administration, physical and occupational therapy, speech therapy, and skilled nursing assessment and monitoring. Private-duty home care involves custodial assistance with daily activities (bathing, dressing, meal preparation) without a clinical component.

Medicare Part A and Part B cover home health care for homebound patients who need skilled nursing or therapy services, with physician orders. There is no copayment for Medicare-covered home health visits. Coverage ends when the skilled need ends.

Texas has hundreds of Medicare-certified home health agencies. Quality and responsiveness vary significantly. Families should ask about start-of-care timing (when the first visit will occur after discharge), the agency’s experience with the specific diagnosis, and their 24-hour on-call availability.