Introduction
Welcome to VIGEO Health’s Resource Guide. We’re your partner in home care—offering clear how-tos, handy checklists, and expert tips tailored to you and your loved one.
Our Commitment
We partner with you to ensure your loved one receives safe, dignified, and compassionate care—tailored to their needs and your peace of mind.
How to Use This Guide
- Browse the tabs to jump right to what matters.
- Follow our checklists to keep track of tasks and questions.
- Tap the call-outs for pro-tips and common pitfalls.
Starting Home Health Care
Connect with VIGEO Health, set up your personalized care plan, and prepare for discharge—step by step.
In the Hospital
Hospitals often refer you to their preferred home-health provider, but under Medicare you have the right to choose. Ask your discharge planner to include VIGEO Health on that list—we’ll meet you bedside, assess your needs, and schedule your first home visit so you transition seamlessly.
Already at Home
Call VIGEO Health directly. Within 24 hours, our nurse assesses you and collaborates with your doctor to draft your Plan of Care.
3-Step Start-Up
- 1 Assessment: We call within 1 business day to book your visit.
- 2 Plan of Care: Drafted & signed by your physician in partnership with VIGEO.
- 3 Care Begins: Skilled visits start on your schedule.
Home Health 101
VIGEO Health explains Medicare-covered home health: who qualifies, services you get, and how it’s paid.
Skilled Nursing
- VIGEO RN/LPN visits for meds, injections & wound care
- Part-time or intermittent: ≤8 hrs/day, ≤28 hrs/week
Therapy Services
- Physical, occupational & speech therapy
- Restore, maintain, or prevent decline in function
Home Health Aide
- Bathing, dressing & toileting assistance
- Only when ordered alongside skilled visits
Who Qualifies?
- Homebound: Trouble leaving home without help or equipment.
- Care Need: Doctor-certified need for intermittent skilled services.
- Face-to-Face Visit: Physician encounter within 90 days before or 30 days after care start.
What’s Covered & What’s Not
✓ Covered
- Skilled nursing, therapy & aide services
- Medical supplies (dressings, catheters)
- Durable medical equipment (80% covered)
✕ Not Covered
- 24/7 custodial care
- Housekeeping, errands or meals
- Home modifications or comfort items
How It’s Paid
- No deductible or coinsurance for skilled visits, therapy or aide services.
- 20% coinsurance on durable equipment rentals.
- VIGEO bills Medicare under a 30-day period directly.
Homebound Rules
Understand what “homebound” means for Medicare, when you can leave, and how VIGEO keeps you covered.
Definition of Homebound
- Requires help or equipment to leave home
- Is taxing on health or recovery
- Includes your house and immediate area
Brief-Outing Exceptions
- Medical appointments
- Religious services or adult-day care
- Infrequent family or social events
Maintaining Eligibility
- Doctor certification every 60 days
- Signed Plan of Care on file with VIGEO
- Document outings (date, purpose, duration)
What’s Covered & What’s Not
See at a glance which services VIGEO bills to Medicare and which you’ll need other support for.
✓ Covered Services
- Skilled Nursing Care: Wound care (pressure or surgical), injections, IV or nutrition therapy, patient & caregiver education, and monitoring of serious or unstable conditions.
- Therapy Services: Physical, occupational & speech therapy when ordered under a plan of care.
- Medical Social Services: Counseling and community resource referrals.
- Home Health Aide: Part-time or intermittent personal care (help with walking, bathing/grooming, changing linens, feeding) only when combined with skilled services.
- Durable Medical Equipment: Walkers, wheelchairs, hospital beds, etc. (80% covered).
- Medical Supplies: Dressings, catheters and other agency-provided supplies.
- Injectable Osteoporosis Drugs: For women meeting specific criteria.
Note: Your provider must assess you face-to-face before certifying need and a Medicare-certified agency must deliver these services.
✕ Excluded Services
- 24-hour-a-day custodial or personal care when that’s the only service needed.
- Home-delivered meals or homemaker services (shopping, cleaning) unrelated to your care plan.
- Non-medical custodial care and home modifications or comfort items.
Private Duty Nursing
VIGEO’s around-the-clock skilled nursing—beyond Medicare’s intermittent benefit.
👩⚕️Core Nursing Services
- Ventilator management & respiratory support
- G-tube feedings & IV nutrition therapy
- Advanced wound assessments & dressing changes
⚕️Specialized Monitoring
- Seizure & vital-sign observation
- Medication titration & infusion therapy
- Pain management & symptom control
⏰24/7 Availability
- Continuous one-on-one care
- Shift-based or live-in nursing models
- Seamless handoffs & care coordination
Eligibility & Payment
- Who Qualifies: Patients with high-acuity needs—ventilator support, complex wounds, seizure disorders—requiring continuous RN/LPN oversight.
- Doctor’s Order: Physician certification stating continuous skilled care is medically necessary.
- Payment: Typically out-of-pocket or billed to long-term care insurance; verify coverage limits with your insurer.
Side-by-Side Comparison
See how VIGEO Intermittent Home Health stacks up against our Continuous Private Duty Nursing.
| Feature | Home Health (Intermittent) | Private Duty Nursing |
|---|---|---|
| Duration | Up to 8 hrs/day, 28 hrs/week over 1–3 weeks | 24/7 care or shift-based continuous monitoring |
| Visit Frequency | Scheduled per Plan of Care (daily to weekly) | Live-in or rotating shifts, as needed around the clock |
| Level of Care | Skilled nursing & therapy on an intermittent basis | Advanced life-support, ventilator/G-tube management, seizure observation |
| Payment & Cost | Covered under Medicare Part A/B (no coinsurance for skilled visits) | Out-of-pocket or long-term care insurance; physician order sometimes required |
| Ideal For | Short-term rehab, wound care, therapy, medical supplies | High‐acuity patients needing constant, one-to-one skilled care |
Companion (Non-Clinical) Care
VIGEO Companion Care provides friendly support, light chores, and safety check-ins—so you never feel alone.
Our Companion Care Service
We pair you with a trained companion who assists with everyday tasks, offers friendly conversation, and ensures your safety. Activities are based on your personalized support plan and designed to help you:
How We Help
Daily Living Support
- Meal prep & light cooking
- Grocery shopping & errands
- Light housekeeping (laundry, bed-making, dusting)
- Reminders for medications
Community & Safety
- Accompaniment to appointments or errands
- Check-ins and gentle activity prompts
- Conversation, companionship & emotional support
Service Hours
- Hourly Service: Billed by the hour.
- Scope: Non-medical assistance only; no nursing or personal care tasks like bathing.
Your Companion’s Qualifications
- 18 years or older, English-literate, and physically able
- Background-checked and TB-screened
- Trained to follow your individualized support plan
- Ongoing supervision by our RN or Clinical Manager
Choosing a Provider
At VIGEO Health, we’re fully certified and vetted—here’s how we ensure quality and transparency for you.
🛡️Verify Credentials
- Medicare certification & state licensure
- Active professional liability insurance
- Clean background check & solid references
❓Key Questions
- What’s your nurse–patient ratio?
- How are emergencies and shift changes handled?
- Can I review a sample Plan of Care?
⚠️Watch for Red Flags
- No formal care agreement or written policies
- Requests for large upfront, non-refundable deposits
- Unwillingness to share credentials or references
Payment & Insurance
Explore how VIGEO coordinates with Medicare, Medicaid, VA, and private insurers to maximize your coverage.
Medicare Part A
- No deductible or coinsurance for skilled nursing & therapy visits
- Requires physician certification of homebound status
Medicare Part B
- 80% coverage for durable medical equipment & supplies
- 20% coinsurance for equipment and supply rentals
Medicaid & VA
- Medicaid: Home health benefits vary by state plan
- VA: Community Care programs offer in-home skilled services
Private & LTC Insurance
- Long-term care policies may cover both custodial & skilled care
- Supplemental plans can bridge Medicare gaps
Tools & Articles
Trusted, no-cost resources from government agencies and nonprofits to help you plan and manage home health care.
CMS: Home Health Benefit Primer
A clear overview of Medicare’s home health eligibility, covered services, and cost-sharing rules.
AARP: In-Home Care Guide
Practical articles and checklists on choosing agencies, managing costs, and caregiver support.
NIH/NIA: Family Caregiving Resources
Research-backed tips on caregiver well-being, safety at home, and navigating medical tasks.
ACL Eldercare Locator
A state-by-state directory of local agencies, support groups, and aging services.
VA Caregiver Support Line
Personalized assistance and resources for veterans’ caregivers, available 24/7.