I'm sorry to be asking so many questions but I don't know where to find answers at this level of detail. (If anyone can tell me a website to read, I will do it!!!)
So our nurse-practitioner ordered home health to visit the ALF and get blood and urine for lab work. It is really hard to get him to the doctor's office just for lab work.
Now home health says that unless they can visit once/week for 3 weeks and then every other week for 9 weeks (I hope I wrote that down right), they will not do the labwork. I guess they want to get the maximum Medicare is willing to pay.
But there is nothing for them to DO every week because he's otherwise healthy and now he doesn't want them to come back! And they won't GO back unless they can keep going.
This seems like such a taxpayer ripoff. But maybe I just don't understand.
flouncy=medicare does not consider a single lab draw a skilled service and won't pay for it. Unless there is an ongoing need for skilled service HH isn't indicated. Some labs will come out to obtain specimens. Sorry you're having problems. We are here for you.
flouncy you might check with some of the places who just do the lab draw and see if they would step out to the car and draw his blood. I know last fall some places around here gave flu shots in your car. If you explain the circumstances to them it is a possiblility. Also, if he has small veins like my husband and I ask them to use a butterfly. It is less painful and one stick does it.