What Is the Difference Between Home Care and Home Health Care?

Demand for home health and personal care services is growing. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 22%  job growth between 2022 and 2032—much faster than other occupations. As more Americans seek in-home short and long-term care solutions, now may be an excellent time to join these essential professions.

What is home care?

Home care is a type of non-medical service provided at a patient’s home or care facility. It typically consists of helping patients with daily living activities, such as:

• Bathing and grooming
• Dressing
• Toileting
• Housekeeping
• Meal preparation and serving
• Medication reminders
• Companionship

Home care is practiced by trained and background-checked personal care aides, nurse aides, or personal support workers. These individuals give family caregivers much-needed time off to rest and recharge.

Depending on the patient, home care services may be provided on a daily or weekly basis. Generally speaking, this type of care is provided to a person over a long period of time. Patients who require these services are often older adults or people who are living with a chronic illness or disability.

What is home health care?

Home health care is specialized health care services provided in a patient’s home. The difference between home health care and home care is that home health care involves performing treatment and care that can only be provided by a qualified professional. It typically involves providing assistance, such as:

• Monitoring vital signs
• Wound care
• Removing stitches and sutures
• Administering medications
• Assisting patients with occupational and speech therapy
• Evaluating patient safety.

Home health care services are performed by registered and licensed medical professionals, such as registered nurses, physical therapists, physicians, or medical social workers. These individuals help patients live comfortably in their homes while receiving critical medical care.

Home health care is typically short-term, provided while a patient is recovering from major surgery or an injury.

How do patients pay for home health and home care services?

Home care patients typically pay for these services out-of-pocket, though they may be covered by Medicaid or long-term care insurance.

Medicare covers home health care services for eligible patients.

To accept Medicaid and Medicare payments, home health aides and personal care aides must be registered in the state(s) where they work or be employed by a registered home health or in-home care agency.

What insurance do home health professionals and home care agencies commonly have?

Providing in-home care, both medical and non-medical, can be risky. Professional caregivers not only work in their patients’ private homes or rooms, but also provide vital hands-on care. One small mistake could greatly impact on someone’s recovery or health outcomes.

This is why home care and home health professionals are encouraged to consider business insurance. Depending on your coverage, your policies can help you manage unexpected costs created by malpractice claims, property damage, and more.

Common policies chosen by home aides and in-home care providers could include the following:

• General Liability insurance is designed to protect home health and home care businesses against the risk of customer injury and property damage.
• Professional Liability insurance is there to help protect health providers from potential financial damage resulting from alleged negligence or error in the delivery of your services.
• A Business Owner’s Policy (BOP) is a combination of policies, combining covers such as General Liability insurance and business personal property coverage, to help protect small businesses from costly interruptions to service.

Home health and home care providers can easily buy business insurance online with BizInsure. Compare policies from A-rated insurers in about 10 minutes and get policy documents instantly via email.

BizInsure offers insurance policies designed for home health aides and professional caregivers. Start now to protect yourself and gain confidence in your ability to provide vital care.