Home health care costs

If you feel that you are unable to care for your elderly loved ones on your own or want to allow them to stay at home as long as possible, you should explore home health care. Here's what you need to know about home health care costs.

The hourly rate for home health care has a wide range, but the average daily cost is between $ 200 and $ 350, as reported by the National Council on Aging. Your last tab for home health care depends on how often your loved one needs care and how long the home health aide needs. For example, if you need care for your loved one 365 days a year, this results in an annual cost between $ 73,000 and $ 127,750.

Another factor that influences the cost of home health care is the level of care your loved one requires. Some older people need help with activities of daily living, such as eating regularly, dressing, and maintaining proper hygiene. This type of care is less expensive than the specialized medical care required for people who have dementia or are recovering from a major medical event (such as a stroke or hip replacement).

All things being equal, night care usually costs less than home health care provided during the day. Generally, home health aides do fewer activities and tasks during night hours. The assistant can help the patient to go to the bathroom or make sure they do not try to leave the house. You can combine night care with daily care, or you can use night care to complement family day care.

Some Medicare Advantage plans provide coverage for home health care, as stated by Home Health Care News. Medicare Advantage covers all the items that conventional Medicare covers, but generally offers some additional benefits. Traditional Medicare does not cover home health care. Medigap or Medicare supplement policies can also provide coverage. If your loved one has private insurance, you should check the details of the plan to see if it offers home health benefits.

Long-term care insurance provides coverage for home health care expenses. However, you must purchase long-term care insurance before you really need it. You generally have a waiting period between the purchase date and the date you can start receiving benefits. If your loved one needs home health care now, it is too late to consider long-term care insurance.