CareGive​rs Plu​s Home Care Services

Keeping Families Together Since 1994

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Our Latest Blog Entry

Does Medicare/Insurance Pay for Home Care Services?​

February 15, 2022

At least once a day, often many time a day, we receive a call from a client's family member that says "I just talked to my loved one's insurance company, and they said they will pay for up to 35 hours a week of home care". These conversations usually end with the caller upset and very confused. This is because the way the insurance presents the information is very confusing causing the caller a lot of run around. Fortunately with 28 years of experience, we can offer you a clear explanation and break down of what this "35 hours" really means.


"Home Care" is an umbrella term that describes all forms of home care available. Insurance companies use this term broadly to describe services and it can be very misleading when trying to determine what your insurance will pay for at home. Many people have spoken to their insurance and are told that " we will cover up to 35 hours a week of Home Care". Here is what that really means:


Medicare, like all other medical insurances (Anthem, Blue Cross, Etna, Etc.) only pay for medical home care. Examples of this would be home care ordered by a physician for an acute/short term medical treatment need. This would include registered nurses for care such as wound changes, IV treatments, as well as Physical, Occupational and Speech therapy. This medial care is always short term, usually right after a hospital stay. While receiving the care of RNs and therapists at home, a bath aide may also be sent out a few times a week. Each of these specialties will come out for about an hour at a time for each of their visits. While receiving this kind of care, most people will never reach "up to 35 hours a week". That happens when a client needs daily wound care by an RN or IV changes multiple times a day by an RN in addition to the therapy they are getting and possibly a bath aide. That is were "up to 35 hours" comes in, when the total of all in home medical care reaches 35 hours a week. It usually does not.


Activity of Daily Living (ADL) assistance like bathing, dressing, incontinence care, transfer/mobility assistance, supervision, housekeeping, meal preparation and other daily tasks are part of Home Care services but are not considered to be medical care and so cannot be billed to any medical insurance. This kind of care is NOT included in the "up to 35 hours a week" that insurances state they provide. Although a medical concern may have been what prompted a client to need this kind of help at home, it is not considered medical care. Our caregiver services are considered non-medical and thereby not billable to any medical insurance. 


As you navigate the murky insurance waters, we are happy to help you in any way we can. Please see the "Paying for Home Care" tab on our website for helpful links to other possible funding resources for your non-medical home care needs. 

We are hiring!!!!

December 2, 2021

While many business across the Valley and across the nation have had to reduce staff due to the pandemic, home care services have seen a spike. As more clients wish to stay home and out of facilities, thereby limiting their exposure to COVID-19, this has, by default, increased need for services provided at home. For our company, this has resulting in existing caregivers on our team experiencing increased hours and the creation of many new caregiver positions. We have been able to make it through the pandemic without laying off a single employee and we are now growing. This is one of the many benefits of working for a small company with 28 years in the Valley. Home care also enables us to work with our staff to create individualized schedules that work for them and their families, especially during this time of altered school and day care availability. If you have a desire to help people and a good work ethic, reach out to us today. We can work with you based on your experience level and availability to create a schedule that will allow you to work close to home and still meet all your family and personal obligations. Apply today under the "Employment" tab! 

We are an approved provider to all 3 Community Health Choices MCOs in Mercer County!!

August 21, 2020

Did you know CareGivers Plus is a participating provider will all 3 MCOs in Mercer County for those residents receiving services through Pennsylvania Community Health Choices (CHC) program!! CHC took over what was known as the PDA Waiver program on January 1, 2020. The 3 approved MCOs are UPMC, Pennsylvania Health and Wellness and Ameriheatlh Caritas. The If you are a new or existing CHC participant looking for a home care provider, we can help! As a CHC participant you may even be able to have your requested caregiver (family, current caregivers) hired by us to provide your care under your CHC services. Most clients are more comfortable having their services provided by family members, or personal caregivers already providing these services. Under CHC and with our company as your home care provider, this doesn't necessarily have to change. If you are approved for CHC paid in home services, it is possible that we can hire your requested caregiver and have them continue to provide you in home services. Message us for more information or to find out if your requested caregiver can be hired on to provide your CHC services! You can also speak to your service coordinators and let them know you want to work with CareGivers Plus! For more information on CHC, follow the link below.


http://w​ww.healthchoices.pa.gov/info/about/community/


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