Your Loved One Is Coming Home.
Here's Everything You Need to Know.
A step-by-step guide for families getting ready for hospital discharge — equipment, home health, insurance, and what to expect.
Before Discharge Day
⏰ Don't wait until the last day. The hospital's discharge planner or social worker is your best resource. Reach out 2–3 days before the expected discharge date.
Questions to Ask the Discharge Planner
What equipment has been prescribed?
Ask for the full list — hospital bed, walker, wheelchair, oxygen — whatever was ordered.
What home health services are ordered?
Nursing visits? Physical therapy? Occupational therapy? Speech therapy? Confirm they've been ordered and by which agency.
Who arranges the equipment delivery?
The hospital usually contacts a DME supplier directly. Get the supplier's name and phone number.
Can equipment be delivered the day before?
Ideally, equipment arrives before your loved one. This gives you time to set up safely.
Documents to Get from the Hospital
Prescriptions for each piece of equipment
Each item needs a written order from the doctor. Keep these — the DME supplier will need them for billing.
Diagnosis codes (ICD-10 codes)
The hospital provides these. They're needed for insurance to approve equipment.
Copies of insurance cards (front and back)
You'll need these for every new provider and the equipment company.
Discharge summary & updated medication list
This document lists all diagnoses, medications, and follow-up instructions. Keep it somewhere easy to find.
Equipment You May Need — By Room
Not every person needs every item. Check the boxes for what's been ordered or what makes sense for your loved one's condition. If you're unsure whether something is covered, check your coverage here.
Bedroom
Bathroom
Mobility & Living Areas
Medical Equipment
🔍 Find equipment suppliers near you: Use our search below to find Medicare-approved DME suppliers in your area.
Setting Up Home Health
💡 Good news: Medicare usually covers home health visits at 100% — no copay as long as your loved one meets the requirements. The hospital typically arranges this. Your job is to confirm it's actually been set up.
What Is Home Health?
Home health means licensed healthcare professionals come to your house to provide medical care. This is different from a home care aide who helps with bathing and meals.
Skilled Nursing
Wound care, medication management, monitoring vital signs, educating the family
Physical Therapy (PT)
Rebuilding strength, balance, and mobility after surgery, stroke, or fall
Occupational Therapy (OT)
Relearning daily tasks: dressing, bathing, cooking — especially after stroke
Speech Therapy
Helps with speaking, swallowing, or cognitive issues — very common after stroke
How to Arrange It
The hospital usually orders it.
Ask the discharge planner: "Has home health been ordered? Which agency? When is the first visit?"
If it hasn't been ordered, call your doctor.
Your primary doctor or the specialist who treated your loved one can write the order. Don't assume it's handled.
Confirm the agency is Medicare-certified.
Ask directly: "Are you Medicare-certified?" Medicare only covers visits from certified agencies. Find certified agencies near you →
What to Expect
First visit: The nurse does a full assessment — reviewing medications, checking the home for hazards, setting up a care plan.
Typical frequency: Nurse visits 2–3 times/week. Therapy visits 3–5 times/week to start, tapering as your loved one improves.
Duration: Covered as long as your loved one still meets homebound criteria and continues to improve.
You are not alone: The home health team is there to teach you too — how to safely move your loved one, what warning signs to watch for, how to manage medications.
What Insurance Covers
🏛️ Original Medicare (Parts A & B)
Original Medicare is the most straightforward. Equipment and home health are covered under Part B.
| What | Medicare Pays | You Pay | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home Medical Equipment | 80% | 20% (after $257/yr deductible) | $1,000 hospital bed → you pay ~$200 |
| Home Health Visits | 100% | $0 | Nursing + therapy visits — no copay |
| Home Health Aide | 100% | $0 (limited hours) | Bathing help, only when skilled services also ordered |
⭐ Medicare Advantage (Part C)
Medicare Advantage plans often cover more than original Medicare — but the rules are different. Check your plan before assuming coverage.
Network matters. You may need to use a specific DME supplier or home health agency. Ask your plan: "Is [supplier name] in-network?"
May cover extras. Some Advantage plans include over-the-counter health items, non-slip mats, or additional home safety equipment. Check your Evidence of Coverage booklet.
Out-of-pocket maximum. Unlike original Medicare, MA plans cap your yearly spending. Once you hit the maximum, everything is covered at 100%.
🤝 Medicaid
If your loved one has Medicaid (or both Medicare and Medicaid — called " dual eligible "), equipment and home health are usually covered at little or no cost to you. Contact your state Medicaid office to confirm what's covered and which suppliers to use.
💰 Can't Afford the 20%? You Have Options.
The 20% coinsurance can add up quickly. Here are programs that can help:
Qualified Medicare Beneficiary Program
Medicaid pays your Medicare premiums, deductibles, AND the 20% coinsurance. Call your state Medicaid office to apply.
Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary
Covers your Medicare Part B premium. Income limits slightly higher than QMB. Also through state Medicaid.
Medicare Supplement Insurance
Plans G, F, or N can cover the 20% coinsurance. Only works with original Medicare (not Medicare Advantage). Purchase during open enrollment to avoid medical underwriting.
Hospital Charity Care
Most hospitals have financial assistance programs. Ask the billing department before you leave — not after the bills arrive.
The First 48 Hours at Home
🌱 The first two days are the hardest — and the most important. Take it slow. You've got this.
📞 Who to Call When Something Seems Wrong
Don't call 911 for every concern. Going back to the ER is disruptive and expensive. Use this guide instead:
Home Health Nurse Line
Your home health agency has a 24/7 nurse line. Call them first for concerns about medications, wound care, new symptoms, or anything that doesn't feel right. Post this number on the fridge.
Doctor's Office After-Hours Line
Your loved one's doctor — or the hospitalist who treated them — usually has an after-hours line. Use it for new symptoms that are concerning but not life-threatening.
Call 911 for emergencies only
Chest pain, difficulty breathing, sudden weakness on one side, sudden confusion, unresponsiveness, or falls with suspected injury.
🚨 Warning Signs to Watch For
After Stroke:
- • Sudden new weakness or numbness
- • Sudden difficulty speaking or understanding
- • Sudden vision changes
- • Severe headache with no known cause
- • Loss of balance or coordination
After Surgery / General:
- • Fever above 101°F (38.3°C)
- • Redness, swelling, or discharge at wound site
- • Sudden swelling in leg (possible clot)
- • Difficulty swallowing or choking
- • Signs of confusion or unusual behavior
This is general guidance. Always follow the specific instructions from your loved one's doctor and home health team.
💊 Medication Management Tips
Use a pill organizer with morning/evening compartments for each day of the week.
Set phone alarms for medication times, especially for time-sensitive medications like blood thinners.
Ask the pharmacist to review for drug interactions — especially if new medications were added at the hospital.
Keep a written medication list on the fridge. Paramedics and ER doctors will check it.
Never stop medications without calling the doctor first — even if your loved one "feels better."
🤝 It's OK to Ask for Help
Caregiving is exhausting. You cannot pour from an empty cup. People in your life want to help — they just don't know how to offer.
👨👩👧 Family
Assign specific tasks: grocery runs, medication pickups, sitting with your loved one so you can sleep.
👥 Friends & Neighbors
Meal trains. Rides to appointments. Yard work. "I'll bring dinner Tuesday" is a real offer — say yes.
🏥 Your Care Team
The home health team teaches caregivers too. Ask every question you have — there are no stupid ones.
Printable Quick-Start Checklist
Hospital Discharge Quick-Start Checklist
From DMEHelper.com — America's Resource Guide for Healthcare at Home
Patient: __________________ Discharge date: __________________
Before Leaving the Hospital
Insurance & Coverage
Home Preparation
Emergency Readiness
Notes / Supplier Contact Info:
This checklist was generated by DMEHelper.com — America's Resource Guide for Healthcare at Home.
Have Questions? Talk to Dottie.
Dottie is our AI care guide. She knows Medicare, equipment, home health, and more — and she can help you figure out exactly what your loved one needs.
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