Home health care agencies in Pittsburgh provide two levels of care: skilled and unskilled. Skilled care involves medical treatment and can be reimbursed by Medicare as well as standard health insurance companies. Unskilled services mainly help patients with daily tasks like dressing and bathing, making them ineligible for Medicare reimbursement. No matter the care level, the Pittsburgh area has a number of agencies able to support people with illnesses or disabilities needing home care. Private agencies, independent doctors and nurses, as well as hospitals, provide assistance with living, therapy and medical attention within the home setting.
Home Health Agency
A home health agency must employ certified, professional medical personnel to provide skilled in-home services. In Pittsburgh, as elsewhere in the United States, these private agencies must be licensed, follow federal health care guidelines and be ordered a doctor-prescribed care plan to tend to patients. The plan must be updated every 60 days and continued only for the duration of the proposed prescription. Health insurance and Medicare are accepted by such agencies as payment. According to the Senior Citizen's Guide to Pittsburgh, some well known agencies providing skilled care in Pittsburgh are Bayada Nurses, Inc. and Care Unlimited, Inc. Both use RNs, LPNs and therapists to carry out home rehabilitation.
Home Care Agency
Home care agencies provide non-medical or unskilled care. Assistance with bathing, dressing, cleaning and cooking are common tasks that staff perform. Such care is provided by home health aides and non-certified nurse aides. A doctor's prescription is not required for home care, making it ineligible for Medicare reimbursement as well as for payment by many private health insurance plans. Pennsylvania does require these agencies to be licensed even though no federal law prohibits such agencies from operating without one. According to the Senior Citizens Guide to Pittsburgh, Touching Hearts at Home in McMurray and Gallagher Home Care in Pittsburgh are two well known providers of unskilled services.
Private Duty Referral or Staffing Agency
Private duty referral agencies serve as coordinators of care for individuals seeking in-home assistance at the skilled level. The agency finds an independent, certified health contractor such as an RN, LPN or CNA who is generally reputable. Instead of the agency acting as employer, the client holds such authority. The client supervises performance and is responsible for payment, payroll taxes and Social Security tax withholding. In Pittsburgh, UPMC's Staying-at-Home Program provides such a service. Sometimes Medicaid and private insurance will pay for such care.
Hospital Network Services
Some hospitals in the Pittsburgh area have home health care services that offer one-stop shopping for all care levels of all ages. In fact, these hospital network services can offer highly skilled assistance and advanced medical products that other agencies seldom provide. In addition to assistance with daily living and oral medication, UPMC Home Care coordinates medical equipment like the purchase and installment of a hospital bed. The organization can also help administer intravenous drugs like chemotherapy at home. Private doctors will also visit patients through the program. The hospital service handles coordination of billing and payment, too.
Cost Benefits of Home Health Care
Pittsburgh has one of the largest elderly populations in the nation; thus, making more home health care necessary. Compared to inpatient care, home health care remains cheaper. The average nursing home charges around $200 a day for care; whereas, home health care is around $100 daily. For the Pittsburgh area, health care reform legislation may help more older residents stay in their homes. According to a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article, starting in 2011 all working adults will have money deducted from their paychecks for long-term care unless they opt out. This could benefit area residents in the long run, making it more possible to receive proper, affordable care at home.
