What does Part B cover regarding home health care?

Part B of Medicare provides coverage for home health care services, specifically targeting medically necessary home health visits from participating agencies. This includes services provided by skilled nursing facilities, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech-language pathology, provided that they are ordered by a physician and the recipient meets certain eligibility criteria.

Home health care under Part B is designed to support individuals who require assistance due to illness or recovery in a home setting rather than in a more traditional health facility. The focus is on rehabilitating the patient and maintaining their health through in-home care, which can often prevent further health complications and reduce the need for hospital admissions.

The other choices reflect services or settings that are not directly covered under Part B’s home health care provisions. Pharmaceutical expenses generally fall under different parts of Medicare for coverage and are not limited to home health care; long-term care facilities involve different types of care and are not specifically addressed by Part B; and while group therapy sessions may be beneficial for certain patients, they would not typically fall under the specific coverage for home health care visits as defined by Part B.