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Housing - Who Pays For Home Care Services? - Public Third Party Payors

Generally speaking, there are three methods of payment for home care services: self-pay, public third-party payors, and private third-party payors. Self-pay is the default payment option for home care. Whenever home care services are not paid by other methods, the patient must pay for the services.

Veterans Benefits - Health Care

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides health care benefits, including hospital care, outpatient care, and nursing home care, to eligible veterans. Generally speaking, services are provided on a priority basis.

Medicare Supplemental Health Insurance

Many private insurance companies sell coverage to supplement Medicare coverage. Two basic types of coverage are available: Medigap policies and Medicare SELECT.

Social Security - Administrative Appeals Procedure

The Social Security Administration (SSA) has established guidelines for the review of decisions unfavorable to applicants.

Medicare - Limiting Charges and Assignment

Medicare limits the amount it will pay for some services, supplies, and medical equipment. This is called the Medicare limiting charge. Whether a limiting charge is available to help limit the cost of services or supplies, however, depends upon who is rendering the service, whether the provider has agreed to accept assignment, what type of item or service is at issue, and whether the physician and the patient executed a private contract. Assignment means that a provider has agreed that it will accept the Medicare-defined reasonable and customary fee for its services. A full discussion of assignment appears in a separate article.