Common questions about home health care.

Skilled home health brings ordered nursing, therapy, medical social work, or aide services to an eligible patient at home. It is intermittent clinical care, not round-the-clock companion care.

Anyone can start the conversation—a patient, family member, doctor, hospital, rehabilitation facility, or nursing home. Covered care still requires an order from a qualified provider and the required eligibility documentation.

Skilled Nursing, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy, Medical Social Work, and Home Health Aides. Medical Social Work and Home Health Aides are currently unavailable.

Medicare, Medicaid, private insurance, and private pay. Coverage may be complete or partial depending on eligibility and the plan. We explain what applies before care begins.

We serve 48 Central Missouri counties from our Columbia office. A listed county does not guarantee admission, so call with the exact home address and ordered service for confirmation.

No. Home health helps you recover and regain independence after illness, injury, or surgery. Hospice focuses on comfort near the end of life. We provide home health.

No. Home health is skilled, doctor-ordered medical care that Medicare can cover. Non-medical help alone—bathing, meals, companionship—is a different service that is usually paid privately.

We call patient and family callback requests by the next business day. For a faster answer, call the Columbia office Monday through Friday, 8:00am to 5:00pm.

Care is usually started within 48 hours, or as ordered by your physician. Timing still depends on patient need, address, coverage, eligibility, and staffing.

During weekday office hours, OHH confirms acceptance—or tells the referral source exactly what is still needed—within one business hour. Then we contact the patient or family to explain and schedule the next step.

Yes. Patients have the right to choose a qualified provider. Medicare coverage rules do not require you to use a specific agency because its name appears first on a discharge list.

No. Medicare home health requires a clinical order, eligibility review, and care planning. Call or request a callback so we can explain the right next step.

Yes. Our office is at 200 S. Keene St, Suite A, Columbia, Missouri 65201.

Providers can use OHH's secure online referral form, fax the printable referral to (573) 474-1796, or call our referral team at (573) 474-1786.

It generally means leaving home is difficult, requires another person's help or special equipment, takes a major effort, or is not advised because of your condition. It does not mean you can never leave home.

Medicare home health requires a need for intermittent skilled services such as nursing or therapy. Personal care by itself does not meet that requirement.

Yes for covered skilled home health. A physician or other qualified practitioner must order the care and support the required documentation.

A qualified practitioner must complete and document a face-to-face encounter related to the need for home health within the allowed Medicare time window.

No. A hospital or rehab stay is not required. Home health can start from a doctor's office referral as long as the eligibility requirements are met.

Your house, an apartment, a relative's home, or an assisted living residence can all count as home. A hospital or skilled nursing facility cannot.

Potentially, yes. Home health can be provided where you live, including an assisted living residence, if you meet the eligibility requirements and the services do not duplicate what the facility already provides.

Care is ordered in periods, commonly 30 to 60 days. It can continue as long as you remain eligible and your doctor recertifies that you still need it.

A nurse or therapist reviews the order, health history, medications, goals, home setup, and immediate concerns. The clinician explains the visit schedule and works with you and your provider on the plan of care.

Yes. We can explain what is usually needed and help you understand the next step, but care cannot begin without the required order and documentation.

Medicare can cover eligible, medically necessary home health services when the skilled need, homebound status, order, and other requirements are met.

Eligible home health services under Original Medicare are generally covered without a home health copayment. Durable medical equipment and other services may have different costs. Confirm what applies to your coverage before care begins.

Your Medicare coverage rules are the same across Medicare-certified home health agencies. You have the right to choose which qualified agency provides the care.

No. Medicare home health covers intermittent skilled care, not round-the-clock custodial or companion care.

These plans may have network or prior-authorization rules. OHH accepts Medicare, Medicaid, private insurance, and private pay and will explain the available coverage information before care begins.