Services Not Covered in Home Health
Medicare Benefit Policy Manual (CMS Pub. 100-02, Ch. 7 §80) 
In addition to the general exclusions from coverage under health insurance listed in the Medicare Benefit Policy Manual, Chapter 16, "General Exclusions from Coverage," the following are also excluded from coverage as home health services:
- Drugs and biological (except where noted differently)
- The transportation of a patient
- Services that would not be covered if furnished as inpatient hospital
- Housekeeping services for which the sole purpose is to enable the patient to continue residing in their home (e.g., cooking, shopping, Meals on Wheels, cleaning, laundry)
- Services that are covered under the ESRD program
- Prosthetic items
- (Note: catheters, catheter supplies, ostomy bags, and supplies related to ostomy care are not considered prosthetic devices if furnished under a home health plan of care and are not subject to this exclusion from coverage but are bundled while a patient is under a HH plan of care.)
- Respiratory services
- Dietary or nutrition services (If performing a complete consult, can be included on cost report as an administrative cost.)
Page last updated: Feb. 19, 2008
