What is the protocol for getting additional home support services hours?

Much depends on who paid for her previous care. Most agencies aren't going to pay for a caregiver to wait, so unless she is private pay and her time paid for, she will likely be assigned another patient, and your mom will have to hope she is free when your mom returns home.

Medicare will cover a given amount of days in the nursing home (it was 20, but that's a moving target) after a hospital stay. They will also pay for a certain amount of home care
after release from a hospital, but only nursing care, not custodial.

It seems that first you need to figure out who pays for the care she has had before and talk with them. If it's a government service, then ask what you do next.

Be aware that any advice given by the hospital or nursing home should be double checked with Medicare, as they may be assigning someone from their own agency to do custodial care and your mom will be stuck with the charge. They aren't always clear about the care and what is paid for, especially if they own the care agency that is doing the home care. Get specific and check with Medicare if you aren't clear on coverage.

You will likely have to hire in-home care at her expense, once the Medicare time runs out, unless she qualifies for some government service that she used before hand (Medicaid?).

Good luck. It's a lot of work to check all of these agencies, but if you don't want surprises you'll have to stay on top of it.

Take care,
Carol

my mother also was receiving in home care for cleaning and help around the house, she has recently been needing more care. Her in home assistance is paid for by her supplemental insurance to her medicare, we just placed a phone call, told them she needed more hours and they gave us the maximum. She uses what she needs, just calls the caregiver service and schedules how many hours and days she wants per week. If I remember correctly, she gets 4 hours a day 3 or 4 days a week, she has a very small co payment each time.

Thank you so much, Carol. I appreciate your advice. Will definitely look into these details. God bless you.

Godsbeautiful

I would work with the social worker at the hospital if she could go to rehab first and is on medicare she should get services at home it depends how much help she will get and you may have to supplement with paid help if she needs more help.

Austin, thank you for your input as well. I am looking into these details. The doctors have submitted request for surgery approval to Medicare. That is the first step. Then I requested a list of nursing homes within the health plan's network. I am waiting for the list to arrive. Next, I will visit the nursing home and take mom with me. I will contact a social worker, as you and Carol suggested.

I am a bit overwhelmed with details. I have no family members in LA. It is only "me." It gets difficult! My only sister from Temecula will not partake in this process.


Thanks so much.

Godsbeautiful