If you meet Medicare’s home health eligibility requirements, Medicare should cover your care regardless of whether your condition is temporary or chronic. Medicare covers skilled nursing and therapy services as long as they:

• Help you maintain your ability to function
• Help you regain function or improve
• Or, prevent or slow the worsening of your condition

Providers and agencies may worry that Medicare will not cover skilled home care if you are no longer showing signs of improvement. However, Medicare should not deny your home care because your condition is chronic or unchanging, or when additional care will not improve your ability to function—as long as the care is medically necessary to maintain your condition or to prevent or slow deterioration.

If you have chronic care needs, it may be hard to find a home health agency (HHA) willing to provide you with services. If you have Original Medicare, call 1-800-MEDICARE for a list of HHAs in your area. If you have a Medicare Advantage Plan, contact your plan for a list of in-network HHAs.