Wellness

[KarenQVC]

I worked a few years as a home care social worker.  Yes, Medicare paid in the hundreds for my visits.

What you should know is that it is a terribly inefficient job.  The only people who were able to earn the big bucks were some of the PTs who just ran through the days knocking off quickie visits.

The nurses and social workers were doing much unseen work for patients and the system--consultation with other professionals, documentation, staff meetings.  These in addition to the endless driving, driving--especially in bad weather.

Yeah, home care saves Medicare with fewer repeated hospitalizations, but it is not much of a racket for the staff. 

[conlt]

I am a home health nurse for 39 years. There has been much fraud over the years but I can tell you it is not the clinicians who are making big bucks. Medicare has changed the payment system several times since I have been in home health. In fact they changed the payment system in January 2020. So payment would depend on when your services were, If they were after January 1st then the company got paid by the new payment system. 

    In the old system the company got paid a lump sum of money based on the assessment of the patient, the diagnosis, and the number of therapy visits that the patient needed. If the agency did at least 5 visits within the 60 day period, the agency received the full lump sum payment. The only thing that altered the amount of that payment was therapy visits. So say for nursing, if the company did 5 nursing visits they got say $3000 but if they did 10 nursing visits they got the same $3000. They have to pay the clinicians and the expenses. If therapy was put in on the case, payment could raise to up to about $6000 for a 60 day period of time.

     In the new payment system the agency gets paid only based on the actual condition of the patient based on the assessment and diagnosis. The payments are split into 2 months and each month the agency has to do a certain number of visits  in order to get full payment for that month. The number of visits for full payment varies between patient to patient, based on the patients condition. I like the new system better. 

     Personally, I worked for a non profit for many years and they sold us to a for- profit company. That company was great, they always told us to take care of the patients. A few years ago we were sold to another for- profit company unfortunately, they were not about the patient and I was uncomfortable. I no longer work there, but work at another company now. I always made sure our patients were taken care of

    A total knee patient does not need much. Most of the time the physician has a specific protocol that dictates the number of visits for these patients. Many times it is 5-7 visits. The therapist needs to spend at least 1/2 hour with the patient but a good therapist would spend about 45 minutes. 

     I am a nurse, I have a Masters Degree in Nursing. It took me 6 years of college to reach that level and I had to pass a State exam to practice. Medical professionals need to get paid fairly for their expertise. What would we do without them? Look at our world today, medical professionals are finally recognized for the heroes that we are. 

     I am so sorry you had a bad experience in home health. There are those companies out there. You have a right to chose the company that you want. Medicare.gov home health compare data can help you decide.Next time, look at the data and ask your doctor for the agency that you choose.