How to Get Medicare Home Health After a Hospital Discharge
Ask for the order before discharge and make the hospital name the agency and start date.
Start here
Tell the hospital doctor or discharge planner you want an evaluation for Medicare home health and ask them to document the skilled need, homebound status, provider order, and referral to a Medicare-certified agency. Do this before the person leaves, then ask which agency accepted the referral and when the first visit is expected.
What to have in front of you
- Medicare card and any Medicare Advantage plan information
- A current medication list
- Tasks that are unsafe at home and the person’s usual mobility aids
- Wound, injection, therapy, monitoring, or other skilled needs
- The home address, caregiver contact, and best number for scheduling
What to say when someone answers
“Please evaluate and document whether they qualify for Medicare home health. What skilled nursing or therapy is being ordered, what supports homebound status, which Medicare-certified agency accepted the referral, and what is the planned start date?”
Small but useful: Write down the person’s name, the date, the exact next step, and when you should call again.
Do this in order
- 1
Ask for a face-to-face assessment and a written home-health order tied to a skilled need.
- 2
Ask the discharge planner for a list of Medicare-certified agencies that serve the ZIP code.
- 3
Before leaving, get the agency name, direct number, ordered disciplines, and who will fix the referral if the agency declines it.
- 4
Call the agency the same day to confirm receipt, insurance acceptance, and first-visit timing.
What happens next
The agency assesses needs, contacts the ordering provider about a plan of care, and schedules services if it can accept the referral. Medicare eligibility requires part-time or intermittent skilled care and homebound status; the agency must be Medicare-certified.
If they say “we’ll put you on the list”
If the agency says it cannot staff the case, call the discharge planner or ordering provider and ask for the referral to be sent to the next Medicare-certified agency. If the order itself is missing or vague, ask the provider to correct it.
Official sources
- Medicare home health coverage
- Medicare and Home Health Care guide
- Medicare discharge planning checklist
Checked August 5, 2026. Programs, hours, funding, and enrollment lists can change. Confirm details directly before relying on them.