Services furnished under Medicare and Medicaid have specific criteria which must be met in order for services to be covered and may differ from state to state.

Medicare and Medicaid require that a physician certify that a patient is confined to his/her home. As you might suspect, a homebound patient is one who is confined to his or her home. Generally speaking, a patient will be considered "homebound" is he or she has an illness or injury that restricts their ability to leave there place of residence. Absences from the home must be infrequent and of a short duration. These absences may include absences from medical treatment and or services at an adult facility that is licensed or certified by the State of Illinois, or accredited to furnish adult daycare.

Medicare and Medicaid services may only be rendered with the specific orders (prescription) of a physician. This would also require a qualifying service being rendered. This would include such services like; Skilled Nursing, Psychiatric Nursing, or Speech Language, Pathology, Social Worker, Occupational therapy and or Physical Therapy.

In the State of Illinois, a patient who reside in an assisted living facility are eligible for home health care services, so long as the assisted living facility does not provide those services required.

Patients who reside in a skilled nursing facility are not eligible for Home Health Care services under Medicare or Medicaid.