Getting Started
From referral to first visit.
Most families and clinicians are surprised how quickly Medicare-certified home health can actually start. For traditional Medicare patients, the first visit usually happens the day after the referral comes in. Here's what each step looks like.
- 1
The referral arrives.
A physician, hospital case manager, or family member sends us the referral, usually by fax, sometimes by phone. The clock starts the moment it lands.
- 2
We verify benefits the same day.
Daniella on our intake team verifies the patient's Medicare benefits, confirms homebound status, and figures out whether you have traditional Medicare (Part A/B) or Medicare Advantage. Traditional Medicare moves immediately; Medicare Advantage takes a little longer because of prior authorization. We'll tell you exactly where you stand.
- 3
The welcome call.
We call the patient or family to introduce the agency, walk through what to expect, and book the start-of-care visit. For most traditional Medicare patients, that's the next day.
- 4
First visit gets scheduled.
The clinician calls the night before to confirm a window. No mystery about who's coming or when, and as much as possible, the clinician you meet on visit one is the clinician you'll see on visit two.
- 5
Start-of-care visit.
The longest visit of the episode, usually 60 to 90 minutes. The clinician completes a full evaluation, reviews medications, starts therapy or wound care, and walks through the home flagging fall risks: broken furniture, loose rugs, missing grab bars. Whatever they find comes back to you with a recommendation. By the time they leave, the rest of the schedule is on the calendar.
- 6
48-hour check-in.
Within two days of the start of care, our office checks back in to make sure the schedule is working, the patient is stable, and there are no surprises. From here, we run the 60-day Medicare certification period, and re-certify if skilled care is still needed.