HarvardCare at Home 
HarvardCare at Home 
Wound Care
Skilled Nursing Care
Physical Therapy
Occupational Therapy
When families begin exploring care options for aging loved ones, the first question is almost always about money. What is the cost of home care for the elderly? The answer surprises many families: Medicare-covered home health care costs nothing out of pocket. Zero dollars. Completely free.
This isn’t a gimmick or limited-time offer. Medicare has covered home health services for decades, and millions of seniors receive professional nursing care, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and wound care in their homes without paying a single dollar. At HarvardCare at Home, we provide these Medicare-covered services to elderly patients throughout Los Angeles County at no cost to them or their families.
Understanding the Difference: Home Health Care vs. Home Care
Confusion about home care costs often stems from mixing up two very different service types. Home health care and non-medical home care serve different purposes, involve different providers, and carry vastly different price tags.
Home health care involves skilled medical services provided by licensed professionals. Registered nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech therapists deliver clinical care prescribed by physicians. Services include wound care, medication management, rehabilitation therapy, disease monitoring, and patient education. Medicare covers home health care completely when patients meet eligibility requirements.
Non-medical home care involves assistance with daily activities provided by caregivers or home health aides. Services include bathing, dressing, meal preparation, light housekeeping, companionship, and transportation. Medicare does not cover non-medical home care, so families pay out of pocket or through long-term care insurance. This type of care typically costs $25 to $35 per hour in Los Angeles, adding up to $4,000 to $8,000 monthly for full-time assistance.
When most families ask about home care costs, they’re often unaware that the skilled medical services their loved one actually needs may be available completely free through Medicare. Our skilled nursing team helps families understand which services their loved one qualifies for at no cost.
Medicare-Covered Home Health: Completely Free
Medicare Part A and Part B cover home health services with no deductible, no copayment, and no coinsurance. This represents one of the most generous Medicare benefits available, yet many eligible seniors never take advantage of it simply because they don’t know it exists.
To qualify for Medicare home health coverage, patients must meet four criteria. First, a physician must certify that home health services are medically necessary. Second, the patient must be homebound, meaning leaving home requires considerable effort due to illness, injury, or condition. Third, the patient must need skilled care such as nursing, physical therapy, or occupational therapy. Fourth, services must be provided by a Medicare-certified home health agency like HarvardCare at Home.
Homebound status confuses many families. You don’t need to be bedridden to qualify. If leaving home requires assistance from another person, a wheelchair, walker, or special transportation, you likely meet homebound criteria. If leaving home causes physical strain or worsens your condition, you likely qualify. Brief, infrequent absences for medical appointments, religious services, or adult day programs don’t disqualify you.
What Services Does Medicare Cover at No Cost?
Medicare covers a comprehensive range of home health services that address most medical needs elderly patients face. Understanding what’s included helps families access appropriate care without unnecessary out-of-pocket spending.
Wound care ranks among the most common Medicare-covered home health services. Our nurses treat surgical incisions, diabetic foot ulcers, pressure injuries, venous leg ulcers, and other complex wounds. Wound dressing changes, wound VAC therapy, and specialized treatments that would otherwise require expensive clinic visits come to patients at home—free of charge.
Physical therapy helps seniors recover strength, balance, and mobility after surgery, hospitalization, or decline. Our licensed physical therapists provide fall prevention therapy, post-surgery rehabilitation, stroke recovery, and strength training in the patient’s own home. No copays, no facility fees, no transportation struggles.
Occupational therapy helps elderly patients maintain independence in daily activities. Therapists teach energy conservation, provide adaptive equipment training, conduct home safety evaluations, and develop strategies for managing conditions like arthritis, Parkinson’s disease, or dementia. These services prevent costly falls and hospitalizations while improving quality of life.
Skilled nursing services encompass medication management, IV therapy, catheter care, ostomy care, injections, vital sign monitoring, disease education, and care coordination. Nurses also train family caregivers through our caregiver training program, extending professional knowledge into everyday care.
The True Cost of NOT Using Home Health Services
Families who avoid home health care due to cost concerns they shouldn’t have often face far greater expenses later. Understanding the financial consequences of forgoing available care puts the value of free home health services in perspective.
Hospital readmissions cost Medicare over $26 billion annually, and patients share responsibility through deductibles and coinsurance. A single hospitalization can cost a Medicare patient $1,600 or more out of pocket—plus the physical and emotional toll of preventable decline. Home health services prevent many readmissions by monitoring conditions, managing medications, and catching problems early.
Nursing home care averages over $9,000 monthly in California for a semi-private room. Many seniors enter facilities not because they need that level of care, but because they lacked the home health support that would have maintained their independence. Free home health services often prevent or delay facility placement, saving families tens of thousands of dollars while keeping loved ones in familiar surroundings.
Falls represent the leading cause of injury-related death among adults over 65 and cost the healthcare system $50 billion annually. A hip fracture alone averages over $30,000 in medical costs. Fall risk assessments and prevention therapy—covered completely by Medicare—reduce fall rates by up to 40 percent.
What About Medicare Advantage Plans?
Medicare Advantage plans (Part C) must cover home health services at least as comprehensively as Original Medicare. However, these plans often require using network providers and may have different authorization processes. Most Medicare Advantage plans cover home health with zero cost-sharing, though some may impose small copayments for certain services.
If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, contact your plan directly to verify home health coverage and provider network requirements. HarvardCare at Home works with most major Medicare Advantage plans serving Los Angeles County. Our admissions team handles insurance verification and authorization, ensuring eligible patients access care without bureaucratic obstacles.
Medi-Cal Coverage for Home Health
California’s Medicaid program, Medi-Cal, also covers home health services for eligible low-income seniors. Medi-Cal coverage includes skilled nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and medical supplies with no cost to patients. Seniors with both Medicare and Medi-Cal (dual eligible) receive particularly comprehensive coverage with essentially zero out-of-pocket costs for covered services.
Medi-Cal may also cover some non-medical home care services through In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS), helping seniors receive assistance with daily activities at no cost. Eligibility depends on income, assets, and functional needs. Our team helps families navigate these programs to maximize available benefits.
Private Insurance and Home Health
Most private health insurance plans cover home health services similarly to Medicare, often with low or no cost-sharing. Coverage details vary by plan, so reviewing your specific policy or contacting your insurance company clarifies what services are covered and at what cost.
Many employer-sponsored plans and individual policies cover skilled home health care when medically necessary and ordered by a physician. Some plans cover a limited number of visits per year, while others provide more comprehensive coverage. Our admissions coordinators verify benefits with private insurers and explain coverage before services begin.
When Families Do Pay: Non-Medical Home Care Costs
While skilled home health care comes free through Medicare, some families need additional non-medical support that insurance doesn’t cover. Understanding these costs helps families budget appropriately and distinguish between free and paid services.
Non-medical home care in Los Angeles typically costs $25 to $35 per hour through agencies, with some charging more for specialized care or overnight shifts. Private hire caregivers may cost less hourly but require families to handle employment responsibilities including taxes, insurance, and backup coverage.
Families needing around-the-clock non-medical care face monthly costs of $15,000 to $25,000 or more—a significant financial burden that long-term care insurance or personal savings must cover. However, many families discover that Medicare-covered home health services address their loved one’s primary needs, reducing or eliminating the need for paid non-medical care.
A common scenario illustrates this point. A family worries about their elderly mother managing alone after hip surgery. They assume they’ll need to hire a caregiver for several thousand dollars monthly. Instead, Medicare covers skilled nursing visits to manage her surgical wound, physical therapy sessions to restore mobility, and occupational therapy to teach safe techniques for bathing and dressing. The professional care she actually needs costs the family nothing.
How to Start Free Home Health Services
Beginning Medicare-covered home health care requires a physician’s order certifying medical necessity. The process is straightforward, and our team guides families through each step.
If your loved one is leaving the hospital, request a home health referral before discharge. Hospital discharge planners coordinate referrals to agencies like HarvardCare at Home, and services can often begin within 24 to 48 hours of returning home. Post-hospital discharge nursing prevents complications during the vulnerable transition period.
If your loved one is currently at home but struggling, contact their primary care physician to discuss home health needs. Physicians can order home health evaluations to assess what services would benefit the patient. Alternatively, contact HarvardCare at Home directly—we can coordinate with your loved one’s physician to obtain necessary orders.
Our admissions team verifies insurance coverage, confirms eligibility, coordinates with physicians, and schedules initial evaluations. Families don’t need to navigate Medicare regulations alone. We handle the administrative work so patients can focus on healing.
HarvardCare at Home: Free Home Health Services Across Los Angeles
At HarvardCare at Home, we provide Medicare-certified home health services to elderly patients throughout Los Angeles County at no cost. Our team of registered nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and wound care specialists delivers hospital-quality care in the comfort of home.
We serve seniors in Beverly Hills, Pasadena, Glendale, Santa Monica, Burbank, Long Beach, Torrance, Encino, Sherman Oaks, Woodland Hills, Arcadia, and communities throughout the county. Same-day service initiation is often available for urgent needs.
Don’t let cost concerns prevent your loved one from receiving needed care. If they have Medicare, the care is free. If they have other insurance, it’s likely covered with minimal cost. The only expense most families face is the cost of not getting help—preventable hospitalizations, avoidable falls, and unnecessary decline.
Contact HarvardCare at Home today to learn what services your loved one qualifies for at no cost. Our care coordinators answer questions, verify coverage, and help families access the professional home health services that Medicare provides. Call (323) 484-4440 or complete our online contact form to start the process.
Frequently Asked Questions About Home Care Costs
Is home health care really free with Medicare?
Yes. Medicare covers home health services with no deductible, copayment, or coinsurance when you meet eligibility requirements. You pay nothing out of pocket for covered skilled nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy services.
What’s the catch?
There is no catch. You must meet Medicare’s eligibility criteria: be homebound, need skilled care, have a physician’s order, and use a Medicare-certified agency. If you meet these requirements, services are genuinely free.
How many home health visits does Medicare cover?
Medicare doesn’t set a specific visit limit. Coverage continues as long as you remain eligible and your physician certifies ongoing medical necessity. Some patients receive services for weeks, others for months.
Does Medicare cover 24-hour home care?
Medicare covers skilled care visits, not around-the-clock custodial care. A nurse might visit for an hour, a therapist for 45 minutes. Medicare doesn’t pay for caregivers to stay in your home continuously.
What if I don’t have Medicare?
Most private insurance plans and Medi-Cal also cover home health services. Coverage details vary, so contact your insurance company or our admissions team to verify your specific benefits.
How do I know if my loved one qualifies?
Contact us for a free eligibility assessment. We review your loved one’s situation, verify insurance coverage, and explain exactly what services are available at no cost.
