Benefits for a Medicare Caretaker

More than 65 million people, 29 percent of the U.S. population, provide care for a chronically ill, disabled or aged family member, according to the National Alliance for Caregiving.



However, Medicare, the nation's health system for seniors and the disabled, is focused on providing doctor, hospital, prescription and other treatment services.



The public system offers limited assistance with at-home care. Medicare divides such care into two broad areas:



1. Skilled nursing care and therapy. All skilled nurses and therapists working at a patients' home under Medicare come through a Medicare-approved home health agency and are paid salary and benefits by that agency.



2. Nonskilled personal care, also called custodial care. In specific cases, skilled care may be available as a Medicare expense. However virtually all nonskilled or full-time custodial care falls outside Medicare benefits.

Home Health Services

• All Medicare and some private care help comes through home health agencies.

  According to the official government handbook "Medicare & You 2010," if you are housebound---that is, leaving home is a major effort---you may be eligible for skilled care at home.

  This can include part-time or intermittent physical, speech or occupational therapy, medical social services, skilled nursing or home health aide services.

  Medicare medical social services help recipients with social and emotional

  concerns that are or are expected to be an impediment to the effective treatment of

  the member's medical condition. Home health aides may be needed in connection with home-use of medical equipment and related supplies.

  Any of these services require your doctor's order and must be provided by a Medicare-certified home health agency. The care must also be "medically necessary": services or supplies Medicare deems necessary for your treatment

Custodial Caregivers

• Custodial caregivers have resource access but few tangible benefits within Medicare.

  Medicare considers most full-time or general help at home to be outside the treatment plan. "Custodial care" is defined as "non-skilled personal care, such as help with activities of daily living like bathing, dressing, eating, moving around, and using the bathroom."

  The public system also does not pay for basic health care that most patients do themselves, such as taking eye drops.

  Long-term care is a service that provides medical and nonmedical care for the chronically ill or disabled. Medicare does not pay for the nonmedical, or "custodial care" portion of long-term care.

  There are increasing sources of information beyond Medicare itself.

Medicare Assistance for Caregivers

• Medicare offers caregivers a regular electronic newsletter.

  Medicare's primary benefit for caregivers is through information.

  Those helping someone on Medicare can access two electronic resources:

  1. "Ask Medicare" at www.medicare.gov/caregivers to compare drug plans, nursing homes and help with billing issues.

  2. On the same web page, you can sign up for the "Ask Medicare" electronic newsletter that can be accessed via computer. This newsletter provides a regular update of Medicare changes, community resources relevant to you and the latest program information.

  In November 2009, the Oklahoman online reported that the U.S. Senate had passed a bill, outside of Medicare, approving financial aid to caregivers of disabled American veterans.