Medicare Offers New Service For Choosing Home Care

Patients and their families now have a new resource to find the agency that is right for them.

Medicare now rates ever home health agency in North Carolina.

Patients

can go online

and pick the agency that best suits their needs.

Agencies are rated on patient outcomes, such as learning to dress themselves, bathing and taking medication.

"Not so much specializes, but people who have either expertise in this area because they've done a lot of it or they have developed extra skills in this area," said Peg O'Connell of the Medical Review of North Carolina.

While the service is designed for patients, health advocates hope caregivers will also access the information.

Word of mouth is how most Medicare patients pick a home health agency.

"They talk to neighbors and friends who have received home health care. They also depend on their physicians," said Peketa Long, a registered nurse with WakeMed Home Care.

For more information, call (800) MEDICARE.