Your Loved One Is Coming Home.
What Do You Need to Get Ready?
Every discharge is different. Tell us what brings your loved one home and we'll show you exactly what equipment, home health, and Medicare coverage you need.
STEP 1 — SELECT YOUR SITUATION
What Brings Your Loved One Home?
Choose a condition to get a personalized guide — equipment, home health, and Medicare coverage.
After a Stroke
Equipment, PT/OT/speech therapy, Medicare coverage, and week-by-week recovery.
Full Guide →Hip or Knee Surgery
Walkers, raised toilet seats, grab bars, PT timeline, and what Medicare pays.
Full Guide →COPD or Breathing Problems
Oxygen, nebulizers, pulmonary rehab, and managing flares at home.
Full Guide →Hospice Transition
What hospice covers, comfort equipment, and how to support your family.
Full Guide →Fall or Injury
Safety equipment, fall prevention, walkers, raised seats, and home health.
General Guide ↓General Decline
Gradual weakness, frailty, or general recovery — equipment and home services.
General Guide ↓Not Sure? Start with the General Guide.
Covers all conditions — equipment by room, insurance, first 48 hours, and a printable checklist.
After a Fall or Injury
Falls are the leading cause of injury-related hospital visits for older adults. Coming home after a fall means setting up the home to prevent the next one while supporting recovery.
🛁 Bathroom Safety
- • Grab bars by toilet & shower
- • Raised toilet seat (4–6 inches)
- • Non-slip bath mat inside & out
- • Shower bench or transfer bench
🚶 Mobility
- • Walker or rollator (4-wheeled walker)
- • Cane or forearm crutches
- • Transfer belt (gait belt) for caregivers
- • Remove all throw rugs
🛏️ Bedroom
- • Hospital bed (if mobility very limited)
- • Bed rails for repositioning
- • Bedside commode (reduces night falls)
- • Nightlight on path to bathroom
📟 Emergency
- • Medical alert button (wearable)
- • Home health PT visits ordered
- • 24/7 nurse line number posted
- • Medication list on refrigerator
General Recovery or Decline
Sometimes a hospital stay doesn't have a single clear cause — gradual frailty, weakness, or multiple conditions. The focus is on safety, comfort, and the right level of support.
🏠 Home Safety First
- • Clear all tripping hazards & cords
- • Add grab bars in bathroom
- • Improve lighting throughout
- • Move bedroom to main floor if needed
🧑⚕️ Professional Support
- • Home health nursing (100% Medicare)
- • Physical therapy for strength/balance
- • Occupational therapy for daily tasks
- • Consider personal care aide hours
💊 Medication Management
- • Pill organizer with daily compartments
- • Phone alarms for each medication
- • Pharmacist review for interactions
- • Medication list posted for emergency responders
🔍 Know What Medicare Covers
- • DME: 80% after deductible (Part B)
- • Home health: $0 copay when ordered
- • Annual wellness visit: free with Medicare
- • Check your specific coverage →
Full Condition-Specific Guides
Detailed equipment lists, recovery timelines, Medicare coverage breakdowns, and caregiver tips — by condition.
General Discharge Guide — All Conditions
Before Discharge Day
⏰ Don't wait until the last day. The hospital's discharge planner or social worker is your best resource. Reach out 2–3 days before the expected discharge date.
Questions to Ask the Discharge Planner
What equipment has been prescribed?
Ask for the full list — hospital bed, walker, wheelchair, oxygen — whatever was ordered.
What home health services are ordered?
Nursing visits? Physical therapy? Occupational therapy? Speech therapy? Confirm they've been ordered and by which agency.
Who arranges the equipment delivery?
The hospital usually contacts a DME supplier directly. Get the supplier's name and phone number.
Can equipment be delivered the day before?
Ideally, equipment arrives before your loved one. This gives you time to set up safely.
Documents to Get from the Hospital
Prescriptions for each piece of equipment
Each item needs a written order from the doctor. Keep these — the DME supplier will need them for billing.
Diagnosis codes (ICD-10 codes)
The hospital provides these. They're needed for insurance to approve equipment.
Copies of insurance cards (front and back)
You'll need these for every new provider and the equipment company.
Discharge summary & updated medication list
This document lists all diagnoses, medications, and follow-up instructions. Keep it somewhere easy to find.
Equipment You May Need — By Room
Not every person needs every item. Check the boxes for what's been ordered or what makes sense for your loved one's condition. If you're unsure whether something is covered, check your coverage here.
Bedroom
Bathroom
Mobility & Living Areas
Medical Equipment
🔍 Find equipment suppliers near you: Use our search below to find Medicare-approved DME suppliers in your area.
Setting Up Home Health
💡 Good news: Medicare usually covers home health visits at 100% — no copay as long as your loved one meets the requirements. The hospital typically arranges this. Your job is to confirm it's actually been set up.
What Is Home Health?
Home health means licensed healthcare professionals come to your house to provide medical care. This is different from a home care aide who helps with bathing and meals.
Skilled Nursing
Wound care, medication management, monitoring vital signs, educating the family
Physical Therapy (PT)
Rebuilding strength, balance, and mobility after surgery, stroke, or fall
Occupational Therapy (OT)
Relearning daily tasks: dressing, bathing, cooking — especially after stroke
Speech Therapy
Helps with speaking, swallowing, or cognitive issues — very common after stroke
How to Arrange It
The hospital usually orders it.
Ask the discharge planner: "Has home health been ordered? Which agency? When is the first visit?"
If it hasn't been ordered, call your doctor.
Your primary doctor or the specialist who treated your loved one can write the order. Don't assume it's handled.
Confirm the agency is Medicare-certified.
Ask directly: "Are you Medicare-certified?" Medicare only covers visits from certified agencies. Find certified agencies near you →
What to Expect
First visit: The nurse does a full assessment — reviewing medications, checking the home for hazards, setting up a care plan.
Typical frequency: Nurse visits 2–3 times/week. Therapy visits 3–5 times/week to start, tapering as your loved one improves.
Duration: Covered as long as your loved one still meets homebound criteria and continues to improve.
You are not alone: The home health team is there to teach you too — how to safely move your loved one, what warning signs to watch for, how to manage medications.
What Insurance Covers
🏛️ Original Medicare (Parts A & B)
Original Medicare is the most straightforward. Equipment and home health are covered under Part B.
| What | Medicare Pays | You Pay | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home Medical Equipment | 80% | 20% (after $257/yr deductible) | $1,000 hospital bed → you pay ~$200 |
| Home Health Visits | 100% | $0 | Nursing + therapy visits — no copay |
| Home Health Aide | 100% | $0 (limited hours) | Bathing help, only when skilled services also ordered |
⭐ Medicare Advantage (Part C)
Medicare Advantage plans often cover more than original Medicare — but the rules are different. Check your plan before assuming coverage.
Network matters. You may need to use a specific DME supplier or home health agency. Ask your plan: "Is [supplier name] in-network?"
May cover extras. Some Advantage plans include over-the-counter health items, non-slip mats, or additional home safety equipment. Check your Evidence of Coverage booklet.
Out-of-pocket maximum. Unlike original Medicare, MA plans cap your yearly spending. Once you hit the maximum, everything is covered at 100%.
💰 Can't Afford the 20%? You Have Options.
Qualified Medicare Beneficiary Program
Medicaid pays your Medicare premiums, deductibles, AND the 20% coinsurance. Call your state Medicaid office to apply.
Medicare Supplement Insurance
Plans G, F, or N can cover the 20% coinsurance. Only works with original Medicare (not Medicare Advantage). Purchase during open enrollment to avoid medical underwriting.
The First 48 Hours at Home
🌱 The first two days are the hardest — and the most important. Take it slow. You've got this.
📞 Who to Call When Something Seems Wrong
Home Health Nurse Line
Your home health agency has a 24/7 nurse line. Call them first for concerns about medications, wound care, new symptoms. Post this number on the fridge.
Doctor's Office After-Hours Line
For new symptoms that are concerning but not life-threatening.
Call 911 for emergencies only
Chest pain, difficulty breathing, sudden weakness on one side, sudden confusion, unresponsiveness, falls with suspected injury.
💊 Medication Management Tips
Use a pill organizer with morning/evening compartments for each day of the week.
Set phone alarms for medication times, especially for blood thinners.
Ask the pharmacist to review for drug interactions — especially if new medications were added at the hospital.
Keep a written medication list on the fridge. Paramedics and ER doctors will check it.
Never stop medications without calling the doctor first — even if your loved one "feels better."
🤝 It's OK to Ask for Help
Caregiving is exhausting. You cannot pour from an empty cup. People want to help — they just don't know how.
👨👩👧 Family
Assign specific tasks: grocery runs, medication pickups, sitting with your loved one so you can sleep.
👥 Friends & Neighbors
Meal trains. Rides to appointments. "I'll bring dinner Tuesday" — say yes.
🏥 Your Care Team
The home health team teaches caregivers too. Ask every question you have.
Printable Quick-Start Checklist
Hospital Discharge Quick-Start Checklist
From DMEHelper.com — America's Resource Guide for Healthcare at Home
Patient: __________________ Discharge date: __________________
Before Leaving the Hospital
Home Preparation
Emergency Readiness
Insurance & Coverage
Notes / Supplier Contact Info:
From DMEHelper.com — America's Resource Guide for Healthcare at Home
Have Questions? Talk to Dottie.
Dottie is our AI care guide. She knows Medicare, equipment, home health, and more — and she can help you figure out exactly what your loved one needs.
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