New
Cleaning Services For Seniors Covered By Medicare
Original Medicare does not provide coverage for housekeeping services, known as “homemaker” services. These services encompass activities such as shopping, cleaning, and laundry. If an older adult requires assistance with home cleaning, they are usually responsible for covering these costs out of pocket.
Many older adults find tasks such as vacuuming, scrubbing, and dusting difficult and would benefit from help maintaining a clean home. Although help is available, it is rarely covered by Original Medicare (parts A and B) or Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans.
Original Medicare is a federal health insurance program for people 65 years and older and people with certain health conditions or disabilities. It consists of Part A (hospital insurance) and Part B (medical insurance).
Original Medicare only covers home health aide services, such as changing bed linens and helping with bathing in specific circumstances. To qualify, a person must also be receiving either of the following:
- skilled nursing care
- physical therapy
- occupational therapy
- speech-language pathology services
- occupational therapy
In most cases, Advantage Plans do not cover cleaning services.
Private insurers provide Advantage plans, but they must follow Medicare’s rules.
Medicare allows private insurers to cover limited housekeeping services related to a person’s health issue. For example, a person with breathing difficulties may qualify for help vacuuming and washing linens to reduce dust in their home.
To check whether an older adult’s Advantage plan covers housekeeping services, contact the insurer directly.
To access housekeeping services, most older adults must either receive help from family and friends or pay a specialist company to help with tasks such as:
- cleaning, tidying, and organizing
- laundry and ironing
- preparing meals
- grocery shopping and helping with errands
- help managing medication
- personal care, such as bathing and grooming
A home healthcare worker from an agency can also provide companionship and emotional support.
People may wish to contact the following home care agencies to arrange help with housekeeping:
These agencies can tailor their support to meet the needs of any older adult. This can range from multiple visits per day encompassing many tasks to one or two visits per week to help the older adult maintain a clean home and live independently.
Learn about Medicare’s coverage of Visiting Angels.
