To qualify for Medicare-paid home health services:

You must be "homebound" on admission and during home care treatment. You are considered homebound if you:

• Are unable to leave your home.
• Can leave your home but only with considerable difficulty and with taxing effort.
• Leave your home infrequently and only for a short time.
• Note: You may leave your home for doctor appointments or religious services.

You are not considered homebound if you:

• Leave your home often for social services.
• Drive a car.
• Go to adult day care for non-medical reasons.
• Do grocery shopping or run errands regularly.

Medicare Home Health has several other requirements:

• You must have the need for a licensed, "skilled" person to provide care.  In other words, if your care needs don't require a nurse or therapist, Medicare will not pay for home health services.  
• You must have a need for only intermittent care – not continuous care.
• Do you have a Medicare card?  You must be eligible for Medicare home care services for Medicare to pay. .
• Services must be provided by a "Medicare Certified" or "Medicare Approved" home care agency, such as Home Health of Montana. The Medicare Certified home care agency is a specialty, and signifies Medicare and Medicaid Certification.