Tricare: Home health care - Getting out, military health issues - Air Force Times

Tricare: Home health care

The Extended Care Health Option has a subsidiary program called ECHO Home Health Care that offers home health care benefits, including coverage of medical equipment, supplies, certain therapies and nursing care to homebound patients whose conditions make home visits necessary.

Under this benefit, Tricare covers skilled nursing provided by a registered nurse under a physician’s supervision; physical therapy from a licensed physical therapist; and speech pathology from a licensed speech therapist.

There are certification or licensure requirements for other professional disciplines providing home health services.

In the case of skilled nursing services, coverage can be extended when the following conditions are met:

• The services are ordered by, and included in, the treatment plan established by the physician.

• The services require the skills of a registered nurse under the supervision of another nurse or a physician.

• Detailed nursing notes are kept for skilled nursing services.

Tricare permits home care for up to eight hours a day, five days a week, under its respite care benefit for active-duty members.

Home health aide and medical social work services can be provided under the hospice benefit.

The EHHC is not subject to the $2,500 per month or $36,000 per fiscal year maximum government cost-share that applies to the general ECHO program.

Contact: www.tricare.mil/mybenefit /home/overview/SpecialPrograms/ECHO