Home Health Therapies

The RNs, LPNs, therapists, social workers, home health aides, and personal care attendants who provide home health services work for a variety of organizations that are authorized to provide home care. The main differences between the types of home care providers are the specific services/programs offered, the types of healthcare workers who provide them, and the types of insurance coverage accepted.

Certified home health agencies (CHHAs) are certified by Medicare to provide nursing and home health aide services, and provide or arrange for other services, such as physical therapy, home infusion, and social work. Services are generally paid for by Medicare or Medicaid, and are provided for a limited period of time. Long-term Table 1 SOURCE: Author home health care programs are similar to CHHAs, except that they provide long-term care (with no specific limitations on the duration of treatment). Licensed home health agencies (LHHAs) are licensed by the state to provide nursing, home health, and personal attendant services, but are not certified to provide Medicare- or Medicaid-financed home care. LHHA services are available only to patients who pay privately or have private insurance.

Other sources of home care include social welfare agencies, community organizations, and adult day care centers, as well as nurse registries and staffing and private duty agencies.