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Medical Social Work Services 

Medical social workers (MSWs) provide emotional support, advocacy, and resource access for patients managing chronic conditions or recovering from illness or injury. They assess social, emotional, and financial needs, identify challenges, and collaborate with the care team to ensure comprehensive, high-quality care.

Key Social Services

  • Patient Advocacy: Guidance in accessing care and emotional support.
  • Service Coordination: Assistance with medical equipment, transportation, and essential services.
  • Long-Term Planning: Support with care plans and paperwork.
  • Community Resources: Connecting patients to local support services.
  • Resource Education: Helping families understand financial and social support options.

Needs Assessment Process
The first step in care planning is assessing a patient’s needs. This involves interviews with the patient, their family, and healthcare providers to gain a complete understanding of their medical, emotional, and social requirements. A thorough evaluation helps social workers develop a personalized care plan to ensure the right support and resources are in place.

Medicare covers doctor-ordered social services for emotional and resource support during skilled home care, disease management, or in-home therapy. These services are provided intermittently and as a dependent benefit.

Covered Medical Social Services
Medicare covers medical social services when prescribed by a doctor to address social or emotional challenges affecting treatment or recovery. Coverage applies only if the patient is also receiving skilled care like nursing or therapy.

  • Assessment: Evaluating social and emotional factors impacting care and recovery.
  • Home & Community Resources: Connecting medical needs with home support and financial resources.
  • Short-Term Support: Providing brief caregiver assistance to overcome treatment barriers.
  • Resource Coordination: Securing community services to address patient challenges.

About Us

Choosing care for a loved one is made easy with Tri-County Home Care of Florida. We offer excellent home care services for seniors and disabled individuals in South Florida. Our commitment is to provide exceptional care in the comfort of home, allowing patients to enhance their quality of life while preserving dignity and independence.

24

Hours a Day

7

Days a Week

365

Days a Year

Broward County

2514 Hollywood Blvd #203
Hollywood, FL 33020
(954) 923.0695
(954) 926.7429
 #299992540

Palm Beach + Counties

1 West Camino Real #205
Boca Raton, FL 33020
(561) 922.9178
(954) 926.7429
#299994965

© 2025 Tri-County Home Care of Florida Inc.  All Rights Reserved│ Legal │ Careers │ Accreditations

Care For Your Condition Goes Well Beyond Your Health!

Many clients transition from the hospital to home while recovering from surgery, injury, or acute illness. Others may have chronic conditions such as diabetes or COPD, requiring short-term nursing care prescribed by a physician to help manage their health effectively.

Our social workers evaluate each client’s unique needs and developsa comprehensive plan to address their challenges.

Home health encompasses a range of services designed to support clients with short-term medical needs. Within this field, medical social services provided by medical social workers (MSWs) play a crucial role in the multidisciplinary care team.

In home health care, social workers often serve as the primary coordinators on a client’s care team. They focus on providing emotional support, advocacy, and holistic guidance for both the client and their family.

Social workers collaborate with clients to assess their needs comprehensively and connect them with the necessary services and resources to enhance their quality of life. By leveraging their extensive expertise, they bridge the gap between clients and the support systems essential for their well-being.

Medicare-Certified Home Health

Home health services and home care services serve distinct purposes. Home care focuses on non-medical daily tasks for individuals who need assistance with everyday activities. This can include help with medical appointments, senior transportation, grocery shopping, bathing, meal preparation, medication reminders, and other personal care needs.

Home health services, on the other hand, address specific medical needs prescribed by a doctor. These services involve healthcare professionals providing ongoing medical care in the home. 

How to Qualify for Medicare Home Health Benefits

To qualify for Medicare home health benefits, an initial evaluation of physical health is required. Since most home health agencies assign and oversee healthcare providers, it’s essential to understand the specific health criteria they follow to ensure eligibility. Medicare-certified agencies adhere to specific standards.

Medicare covers your home health care if:

  • You receive care from a Medicare-certified home health agency (HHA), like Tri-County Home Care.
  • You are homebound, meaning it’s very difficult for you to leave home without help.
  • You require skilled nursing or therapy (physical, speech, or occupational) on an intermittent basis. Intermittent care means you need assistance at least once every 60 days but no more than once a day for up to three weeks (this period can extend if your care needs are predictable and temporary).
  • You have a face-to-face meeting with a doctor within 90 days before starting home health care, or within 30 days after care begins. This can be done via an office visit, hospital visit, or in some cases, a virtual meeting.
  • Your doctor signs a home health certification confirming your homebound status and need for intermittent skilled care. The certification must also confirm the doctor’s approval of a care plan and that the face-to-face meeting requirement was met.
  • Your doctor reviews and re-certifies your home health plan every 60 days.

Note: Medicare will not cover home health care if you only need occupational therapy. However, if you qualify for other home health services, you can also receive occupational therapy. When other care ends, occupational therapy may continue to be covered under Medicare’s home health benefit if you still need it.

A comprehensive medical evaluation will determine eligibility for Medicare home health services.

Call us at (954) 923.0695Contact Us
Call us at (954) 923.0695Contact Us