What is required for home health agency (HHA) patients to receive speech language services?

For patients to receive speech language services from a home health agency (HHA), they must be homebound and have a skilled need. This requirement aligns with regulatory guidelines that govern home health services. Being homebound typically means that the patient's condition restricts them from leaving their home without considerable effort or assistance. A skilled need indicates that the patient requires the expertise of a qualified speech-language pathologist due to medical reasons, such as difficulty in swallowing (dysphagia) or communication disorders stemming from conditions like stroke or brain injury.

The combination of being homebound and having a skilled need ensures that the patients receiving such services are those who genuinely require them for their health and rehabilitation. It helps to ensure that Medicare and other insurances cover these services by meeting strict eligibility criteria designed to focus resources on patients who have a significant need for medical intervention in their home environment.