Home Care

Treatment may be challenging if you do not have in-home help. Many patients receive in-home help during treatment.

Types of home help
Help can be given by a family member or friend, or through a professional home care staff. Home care liaisons provide home care, and patients can choose among home care providers. Some insurance companies pay for home care, although some do not. Some patients choose to pay themselves. To obtain these services, speak with your doctor, nurse or social worker. A prescription from your doctor may be required.

In-home health care services typically include:

• Skilled nursing
• Rehabilitation, including physical, occupational and speech therapy
• Medical social workers
• Personal Care Aides (PCAs), who support activities of daily living, such as bathing, grooming, walking and cooking
• In-home IV therapy (infusion)
• Wound care
• Ostomy care

Is there a fee for this service?
You must receive a referral from your physician to receive home care. The fees will depend on your insurance plan. One of our social workers can help you with this.

Home Health Aide. A Home Health Aide is prescribed by a doctor and paid for by insurance. A doctor must identify a skilled need, which may include medication management, dressing changes, feedings or in-home dialysis. Many insurance companies pay for Home Health Aides, or a patient can pay out-of-pocket for an aide at the rate of about $30 per hour. Ask your doctor or social worker for more information.

Personal Care Aide. A Personal Care Aide is someone who comes to your home and helps you with cooking, cleaning, getting dressed, bathing and eating, and other things. A doctor has to write a prescription for a Personal Care Aide if your insurance is going to pay for it. Some insurance companies will pay for personal care, and some will not. Patients can pay out-of-pocket for a Personal Care Aide at a rate of about $20 per hour; if you pay out-of-pocket, there is no prescription needed. Ask your doctor or social worker for more information.

MedStar Health’s Visiting Nurses Association (VNA). This service is owned and operated by MedStar Health. The phone number is 1-800-862-2166 and the website is www.medstarhealthvna.org/.

Patients can choose which home care provider they prefer.

Here are some home care options:

Berhan Home Health (Washington, D.C., area)
Phone 202-723-110;  Fax 202-723-3271
Contact: Ms. Kalton

Nursing Unlimited (Washington, D.C., area)
Phone 202-547-2949; Fax 202-547-5227
Contact: Victoria Mashida

Professional Healthcare, Inc. (Washington, D.C., area)
Contact: Mary Campbell, representative, 202-384-0512; Fax 202-955-8355
Brenda Pratt or Wanda Smith (for Washington, D.C. Medicaid PCA)
Brenda Pratt, Wanda Smith (for D.C. Medicaid PCA)
Gloria T & N: O: 202-529-6510; fax 202-529-6570 attn: Doris
Carol-202-529-0079 O: 202-558-0278; Cell: 202-498-7979 (Agnes); FAX: 202-529-6570 (Shola)