Frequently Asked Questions

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Yes. An Amedisys clinician will come to your home to assess your needs. You will be included in the care planning process. We will communicate with your doctor to discuss the assessment and your goals and work together to develop your personal plan of care. Amedisys Home Health Care staff will implement your physician-ordered plan of care and keep your doctor updated about your progress. If your condition or needs change, we’ll collaborate with your doctor to review your plan of care and make any needed adjustments.

Home health care provides skilled services for an illness or injury, wherever you call home. Our goal is to help you recover, regain your independence and become as self-sufficient as possible. More than just providing excellent care in your home, home health care also savesbillions of dollars each year in providing these services outside of expensive facilities. Amedisys Home Health Care offers health care services such as skilled nursing, home health aides, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, social work, and nutrition services. We also offer specialized clinical programs that focus on empowering you to manage your own illness and improving your quality of life.

Our staff is well-equipped to care for you in your home. During the COVID-19 public health emergency, we’re taking additional measures to help prevent the spread of disease, based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This includes requiring all staff to wear a face mask when reporting to work and providing appropriate protective equipment to all staff and patients. Our teams are required to perform a self-screening for symptoms every day, and we also call our patients to screen for symptoms before we visit. Our goal is to help you stay home and out of the hospital, where there is a higher risk of exposure.

In order to qualify for home health care, you must be considered “homebound.” During the current public health emergency, you may qualify if your physician advises you not to leave the home because of a confirmed or suspected COVID-19 diagnosis, or if you’re at high risk of infection due to age (65+) or an underlying condition. You must be referred by a physician or non-physician practitioner, like a nurse practitioner or physician assistant and have an intermittent need for skilled nursing or therapy, like physical, occupational or speech therapy.

On the first visit, a nurse or therapist will conduct an initial assessment. This assessment identifies areas where you and your family/caregivers may benefit from education in self-care and disease prevention. We also provide hands-on care.

Amedisys is the nation’s second largest provider of home health. Click here to search for the location nearest you and speak to a professional.

Home health care provides skilled health care services wherever you call home. Our home health team works collaboratively with you, your family and your doctor to help you recover from illness, surgery or injury, regain your independence, and become as self-sufficient as possible.

You’ll receive the services you need based on an individual plan of care developed by your doctor with our clinical team. Some of the home health care services we offer include:

• Skilled nursing care
• Home health aides
• Physical therapy
• Occupational therapy
• Speech therapy
• Medical social work
• Pain management
• Medication management
• Wound care
• Infusion therapy
• Psychiatric services

We also offer several specialized home health programs for patients with COPD, heart failure and conditions that increase their risk of falling.

You may be eligible to receive home health care under the Medicare benefit if:

• Your doctor prescribes home health care for you.
• You need either skilled nursing care or therapy (physical/occupational/speech therapy) on an intermittent basis.
• Your condition limits your ability to leave home, rendering you “homebound.”

Amedisys home health care can help in several ways:

• Keeps patients comfortable at home, where they typically recover faster with fewer complications
• Reduces avoidable trips to the hospital
• Supports caregivers and loved ones
• Uses evidence-based clinical practices so you receive high-quality care backed by science
• Offers an interdisciplinary approach that gives you access to a diverse team of healthcare professionals
• Provides personalized care planning tailored to your needs

Continue learning about the benefits of home health care.

You or a loved one may benefit from home health care if you:

• Have a chronic illness such as heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease or COPD
• Are recovering from surgery, hospitalization or illness
• Need help to get out of the house
• Frequently visit your doctor or the hospital
• Need education to manage your condition effectively
• Are at risk of severe illness due to COVID-19 (age 65+ or any age with an underlying condition)

Read more signs you or a loved one might need home health care.

Take our home health assessment quiz to find out if home health may be right for you.

On the first visit, a nurse or therapist will conduct a thorough interview and professional assessment. Our assessment identifies areas where you may benefit from education and tools to manage your health.

We partner with your doctor as well as family and caregivers to determine the best services for your needs. This team approach actively engages you and your caregivers in your health care and, if applicable, helps to make the transition from a hospital or nursing facility to your home much easier.

The frequency and type of home health visits are based on your personal plan of care. Your doctor may change your plan of care as necessary, increasing or decreasing the number of visits or services provided, in order to provide you with the best home health care for your needs.

Absolutely, and we’d be honored to care for you or your loved one. Federal law gives patients the freedom to choose their health care provider. 

Amedisys is one of the nation’s largest home health care providers, with over 300 care centers nationwide. To search for the Amedisys home health agency near you, visit our care center directory.

A nurse or therapist will contact you by phone to schedule the first visit. If you’re coming from a hospital or nursing facility, the initial visit will usually happen within 24 hours after you’re discharged to make the transition easier.

Medicare pays 100% of the cost of home health care services for eligible patients. Your state’s Medicaid program or your private insurance may also cover home health care.

Learn more about the cost of home health care and who pays for home health care.

Yes. Our home health care centers are Medicare-certified. This is a requirement for Medicare to cover the cost of home health services.

Your residence is wherever you call home. This may be your house, an apartment, a relative’s home, a senior community, or some other type of residence. However, hospitals, skilled nursing facilities and intermediate care facilities may not be considered a “home,” which would mean we cannot provide home health services in those settings.

Your doctor will determine the number of visits you receive, how often the visits should occur and how long they should last, based on your needs and health status.

We thoroughly screen and train our home health team members. Patient care staff have professional licenses and certifications that are applicable to their role. We also perform background checks and require several personal and professional references. Once hired, Amedisys employees continue honing their skills through an extensive orientation process and ongoing training programs.

Homebound means your condition is such that:

• You’re normally unable to safely leave your home without help from others and the aid of assistive devices (such as crutches, canes, walkers or wheelchairs).
• Leaving home would require considerable and taxing effort. You can generally leave home as often as you need for medical treatment that cannot be provided in the home and still be considered homebound. You’re also allowed brief absences from the home for some non-medical reasons, such as an occasional trip to the barber or beauty shop, to attend church, or for unique family events (like a graduation or wedding). Such trips must be infrequent and require a considerable and taxing effort. 

Home health care provides skilled clinical treatment for an illness or injury, with the goal of helping you recover and regain your independence. Home health care can also help you manage a chronic condition like heart disease, COPD or diabetes. Additionally, home health care can sometimes include certain personal care services, like help bathing and dressing, as part of the plan of care ordered by your doctor.

Personal home care services include help with bathing, dressing, meal preparation or your normal activities of daily living in order to remain independent within your home. Learn more about the difference between home health and home care.

Hospice care provides compassionate, supportive care and comfort for those who are facing a terminal illness. It offers medical, social, psychological, bereavement and spiritual services that support a patient and their loved ones.

No. Hospitalization is not a requirement to receive home health care. Many patients are referred by their doctor.

Yes. Hospice services typically can be provided wherever the patient calls home. In addition to the standard services provided by the nursing home or alternate care facility, residents will receive specialized visits from hospice nurses, hospice aides, chaplains, social workers and volunteers.

In hospice care, we believe that emotional and spiritual pain are just as real as physical pain. Hospice nurses and doctors use the most effective medications and devices to relieve pain and other symptoms. They are joined by specialists who are trained in physical therapy, music therapy, art therapy, massage therapy and nutritional counseling to help maintain patient comfort. Finally, various counselors, including clergy, help with emotional and spiritual support for patients and and bereavement support for family members and caregivers.

Hospice volunteers are a special group of people that give of their time and talents to help patients and their families. They are available to visit with you and help run errands. They can also assist with daily activities and may read, sing, write letters, or just reminisce with you and your loved ones. Their support enhances the quality of life for patients and helps relieve some of the demands that are often placed on caregivers.

Very high. Using a combination of medications, counseling and therapies, most people can attain an acceptable level of comfort to improve quality of life during end-of-life care.

Usually not. In hospice, our goal is to help people live as actively as possible, free of pain or discomfort.

Yes. Hospice provides continuing support for caregivers and families for up to 13 months following the loss of a loved one. We also sponsor bereavement support groups, conduct memorial services and provide support for anyone in the community who has experienced the loss of a friend or loved one.

Home health care helps people recover from an illness or injury and become as self-sufficient as possible. Visits typically decrease as the patient’s condition improves.

Hospice care keeps patients comfortable as symptoms of their terminal illness worsen. Services typically increase over time to meet the needs of the patient.

Hospice and palliative care both focus on quality of life and relief of uncomfortable symptoms. The difference is that palliative care may begin earlier (e.g., at diagnosis) and take place at the same time as curative treatment. Hospice care begins after curative treatment stops, to improve comfort and quality of life as the patient nears the end of their life. Hospice care provides all the services palliative care does, but palliative care does not typically include all the services that hospice care provides.

Hospice is a type of specialized care for people who have terminal illness that is no longer responding to medical treatment or intervention. Rather than trying to cure the disease, we focus on pain and symptom management, emotional and spiritual support, and help for families and caregivers.

In most cases, a family member serves as the patient’s primary caregiver and helps make decisions for their loved one. The hospice care team, working together with the caregiver, develops a plan to provide treatment, pain and symptom management, emotional and spiritual support, personal care and specialized services for both the patient and family. Hospice staff is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to help meet your needs.

Patients should consider hospice when medical treatments can no longer cure their disease or when the burden of treating symptoms outweighs the benefits of treatment. Although end-of-life care can be difficult to discuss, talking about hospice early on allows you to make educated decisions and understand a loved one’s wishes before a crisis occurs. If you're unsure whether hospice care is the right choice for you or a loved one, our “Is Hospice the Answer” quiz may help. You can also call your local Amedisys care center for a free assessment to see if it’s time to consider hospice care.

Yes. Hospice services are 100% covered by Medicare Part A. They are also covered by Medicaid in most states, as well as many other private or managed care insurances. 

Some of the benefits of Amedisys hospice care include:

• Specially trained team of caring hospice professionals
• Care provided wherever the patient calls home
• 100% of hospice costs covered by Medicare
• 24/7 accessibility if needed
• Focus on comfort and quality of life
• Assistance with daily tasks and personal care
• Emotional and spiritual support
• Paid medications, equipment and supplies related to the terminal illness
• Bereavement support and respite care for family members
• Research shows patients on hospice can live longer than patients who do not receive hospice care

You’ll receive intermittent visits from a team of people with expertise in different fields. Your hospice team may include a physician, nurse, social worker, chaplain, bereavement counselor, hospice aide and volunteers.

The hospice care team works with patients and caregivers to determine the frequency and type of hospice services needed. The number of in-home hospice service visits typically increases as the patient’s illness progresses and their needs increase.

Yes. At Amedisys, hospice care is available seven days a week, 24 hours a day, all year long. We have hospice team members on call and can respond within minutes, if needed.

Yes. You can keep your personal physician while receiving hospice care. Hospice reinforces the relationship between primary care physician and patient, and considers this bond to be a high priority.

Many, but not all, doctors are familiar with hospice. If your doctor doesn’t know about hospice care, contact us. We can share information about hospice services and hospice eligibility requirements and help you decide on next steps. Information is also available from the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Hospice Center.

Anyone can make a referral for hospice care. Feel free to speak with your doctor, minister or a trusted friend when making this decision. You can also contact us to learn more about in-home hospice services and arrange a meeting in your home to discuss our hospice program. We also provide care in local hospitals and some extended stay facilities.

Once you’ve expressed an interest in learning more about hospice care, one of our team members will contact you to discuss your needs and help determine your eligibility. Next, we’ll contact your doctor to discuss your decision and receive authorization to begin providing the in-home hospice services you’ve chosen. Finally, you’ll sign forms that are similar to the ones that you would sign before receiving any other special medical services.

Once a referral for hospice care is made, we will contact you within a few hours to schedule the first visit at a time that’s convenient for you. A hospice care team member typically visits the patient within 24 hours. In some situations, it may be possible for hospice services to start sooner.

It depends on the patient’s specific needs, but Medicare covers six months of hospice care initially. Care can last longer than six months if a doctor certifies that the patient continues to meet hospice eligibility requirements.

Sometimes with the extra attention that hospice care provides, a patient’s health improves. If a patient’s condition improves or the disease goes into remission, the patient can be discharged from hospice care and returned to regular medical treatment. Likewise, should the patient need to return to hospice in the future, these services can be resumed if the patient is eligible.

No. Your hospice care team will help you determine what you need and then assist you in obtaining any special equipment or making any changes in your home.

There’s no set number. One of the first things hospice will do is help you determine the amount of care you need. In addition, hospice staff will make regular visits to your home. We’re available to answer questions, provide support and teach caregivers how to care for their loved one.

It’s never easy to provide end-of-life care for a loved one. Nights can be especially difficult and sometimes seem very long. However, the hospice care team is available 24 hours a day to speak with or visit you if needed. We can teach you what you need to know to care for your loved one. We also provide resources and bereavement support for caregivers and family members.

No. It is usually not necessary for someone to be with the patient all the time. However, we do recommend continual end-of-life care and monitoring in the later stages of hospice.

You can receive palliative care as long as services are medically necessary. That may mean until you enter hospice care or until you feel better and no longer need palliative services.

You will need a referral from your physician (often a primary care provider) and a doctor’s order. An Amedisys care center near you can help with this process.

Many people ask “Does Medicare pay for palliative care?” Palliative care services are typically covered by Medicare and some insurance plans. To learn more about the cost of palliative care, reach out to an Amedisys care center near you.

Palliative care is person-centered, family-focused care that provides relief from the symptoms, side effects and stress of a serious illness. The primary goal is to improve the patient’s and family’s quality of life.

People facing a serious disease may receive palliative care after obtaining a physician’s referral and order. Heart disease, cancer, respiratory illness, Alzheimer’s/dementia, renal disease, chronic liver disease and diabetes are some commonly treated conditions. According to the World Health Organization, pain and difficulty breathing are the two most frequent and serious symptoms that palliative care addresses.

Nurse practitioners provide an initial consultation and follow-up visits to address the patient’s pain and symptoms. The nurse practitioner works in collaboration with our social workers and medical director, as well as your healthcare providers. Learn more about the palliative team.

Palliative care is available wherever you call home. For some, this is a private residence. Others may receive palliative care in a nursing home, hospital or other facility.

Palliative care involves establishing individualized goals of care, including pain and symptom management and social support that can help you feel more comfortable and better able to enjoy life on your own terms. Learn more about our services.

A serious diagnosis can involve painful and upsetting physical symptoms as well as emotional distress. Palliative care focuses on helping you manage these challenges, so that you and your family can experience more peace of mind and better quality of life. Some of the symptoms we can help with include pain, shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting, fatigue and insomnia.

• The Initial Assessment – A palliative nurse practitioner will conduct a pain and symptom assessment, check vital signs, discuss care needs and create a plan of care.
• Follow-Up Visits – In subsequent visits, the nurse practitioner will help monitor and manage pain and other symptoms, and work with a social worker to help with planning and emotional support. Your follow-up visits may last between 30 minutes and 1.5 hours, depending on your needs. Typically, you will receive 1-2 visits per month and on an as-needed basis.
• Coordination of Care – The palliative team will collaborate with your other healthcare providers to help ensure you receive coordinated care and safe, seamless transitions of care as needed.

We abide by the core principles of palliative care as designated by the National Consensus Project for Quality Palliative Care. Palliative care:

• Is appropriate at any stage of a serious illness and may be delivered with curative treatments. 
• May be provided over time based on patient/family needs, not prognosis. 
• Is offered in all care settings and anywhere a patient calls home. 
• Is focused on what is most important to the patient, family, and caregiver(s), honoring their goals and preferences for care. 
• Is delivered by an interdisciplinary team to attend to holistic care needs of the patient and their identified family and caregivers.

Our team is trained to administer pain-relieving medications for debilitating pain from cancer and other illnesses, in coordination with your doctor. The goal is to help you feel as comfortable as possible.

During the initial consult, the nurse practitioner will be able to assess whether you need a wheelchair, hospital bed, oxygen equipment such as a ventilator, or other types of equipment.

No. Your primary care provider will continue to manage your care. The palliative team will work closely with your healthcare providers to ensure your pain and symptoms are well-managed and advocate for your needs.

Yes. You can receive palliative care if you are also receiving home health, personal care or other services in the home. Patients often receive these services at the same time, and our team can provide referrals to these types of care.

You can stay on our services as long as you need them. If you decline services, you can reconsider them at a later time. As long as palliative care remains medically necessary, you can re-initiate services at any time with a doctor’s order.

Families often wonder what it means for their loved one to be in palliative care. They worry that it could mean their loved one cannot be cured, for example. That is not necessarily the case. Palliative care provides relief from the pain, stress and symptoms of many serious illnesses, some of which are curable.

Palliative care and hospice are two different types of care. While hospice is for patients who have a life expectancy of six months or less, palliative care can start at any stage of a serious illness—when a person is diagnosed, when they are receiving treatment to cure their illness, or when they are nearing the end of their life. Learn more about the differences.

Since both palliative care and comfort care help you feel as comfortable as possible, they include many of the same services. The main distinction is that you can receive palliative care at the same time as other curative measures, whereas comfort care is typically only for when you have exhausted these treatments.

Yes. You can receive palliative care at the same time you are trying to cure your illness. With the support of palliative care, your symptoms can be better managed, allowing you to do what is most important to you.