Provide Medicare Coverage for More Home Health and Long-term Care Services

Medicare (including Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage) does not cover many long-term services and supports. And it covers help with activities of daily living, like eating and bathing, only in very limited circumstances. Reflecting broad national trends, many callers to the Medicare Rights national helpline seek help paying for this care. Congress must modernize the Medicare program to meet this growing need by expanding coverage for services that allow beneficiaries to remain in their homes and for family caregiver supports, like respite care and adult day health care, and by filling existing coverage gaps, such as eliminating the requirement that Medicare beneficiaries need skilled care and be homebound to qualify for home health coverage, as well as the “use in the home” limitation on DME.