Certified and Rehab Services Referral Information
Many insurances require patients to be homebound in order to receive home health benefits. Please call the MVN office to verify specific insurance requirements.
What does it mean for a patient to be considered confined to the home (homebound)?
According to Medicare’s Home Health Benefit
A patient is considered confined to the home (homebound) if these two criteria are met:
- Criterion One:
- Because of illness or injury, need the aid of supportive devices such as crutches, canes, wheelchairs, and walkers; the use of special transportation; or the assistance of another person to leave their place of residence
- Have a condition such that leaving his or her home is medically contraindicated
- Criterion Two:
- There must exist a normal inability to leave home
- Leaving home must require a considerable and taxing effort
- Infrequent
- For periods of relatively short duration
- For the need to receive health care treatment
- For religious services
- To attend adult daycare programs
- For other unique or infrequent events (for example, funeral, graduation, trip to the barber)
The patient must either:
If the patient meets one of the Criterion One conditions, he or she must also meet the two additional requirements described in Criterion Two.
The patient may be considered confined to the home (that is, homebound) if absences from the home are:
The evidence of homebound MUST be documented in the patient’s medical record, not just the order.