At VNS Health, we strive to make home care referrals easy, so your patients in New York City and in Nassau, Suffolk, and Westchester counties can get the care they need to heal and recover at home.
How Home Care Helps Patients
According to a study published in the American Journal of Managed Care, people who don’t receive home care after a hospital discharge are twice as likely to be rehospitalized as those who do get home care.
For eligible home care patients, VNS Health can provide skilled nursing, rehabilitation therapy, social work and behavioral health care, and guidance with advance care planning.
The VNS Health Home Care skilled nursing team can:
- Assess health status and monitor and treat pain and symptoms
- Coordinate care across disciplines and transitions of care
- Educate patients and family about self-care, disease treatment, and prevention
- Reconcile and monitor complex medication regimens
- Provide specialized care for patients at a high risk of hospitalization, including care for postsurgical wounds and other complex treatment needs
Refer a Patient to Home Care
All referrers must complete and submit the FFE form.
Refer a Patient Online
Submit your VNS Health home care referral online.
Refer a Patient by Fax
Download the home care referral form and fax it to 1-212-290-3939.
Get Help with a Referral
For questions about a referral, call 1-866-632-2557.
Is My Patient Eligible for Home Care?
Home Care Eligibility Criteria
Your patient may be eligible for home care if they meet one or more of the following criteria:
- Is recovering from an acute illness
- Has a disability
- Is depressed
- Is cognitively impaired
- Requires post-operative care, such as wound or catheter care
- Must follow complex medication plans
- Has somewhat reduced abilities, but chooses to live independently at home
- Needs assistance with activities of daily living with registered nurse supervision
- Requires physical therapy, occupational therapy, or speech-language therapy
- Is homebound as defined by Medicare
Medicare Definition of Homebound
If your patient is using Medicare or some commercial/managed care insurance plans, they must be homebound to receive home care services.
Medicare defines “homebound” as when a patient is unable to leave their home without considerable and taxing effort. They must also meet criterion 1 and criterion 2:
Criterion 1
They need the aid of one of these supportive devices or modes due to illness or injury:
- Crutches
- Wheelchair
- Walker
- Special transportation
- Help from another person to leave home, including for cognitive or psychiatric concerns
OR
They have a condition that makes leaving home medically not recommended.
Criterion 2
They have symptoms that make leaving home a significant effort. Examples include:
- Shortness of breath
- Pain
- Anxiety
- Confusion
- Fatigue
Keep in mind — patients may still be considered homebound even if they can leave the home infrequently for short excursions or for health care needs. Some examples include:
- Religious services
- Haircuts
- Short walks, such as around the block
- Family events, such as funerals or graduations, or other unique events
- Outpatient kidney dialysis, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy
Rehabilitation Therapy Eligibility Criteria
PT = physical therapy
OT = occupational therapy
SLP = speech-language pathology
| If your patient has difficulty with: | They may be eligible for: |
|---|---|
| Ambulation (gait abnormality, new assistive device) | PT |
| Going up or down stairs | PT |
| Balance (fall risk or history of falls) | PT |
| Bed mobility (scooting, turning, sitting up) | PT/OT |
| Transfers (toilet, tub, sit to stand) | PT/OT |
| Weakness or deconditioning | PT/OT |
| Safety (concerns about living alone) | PT/OT |
| Dyspnea/difficulty breathing at any level | PT/OT |
| Balance disorders | PT/OT |
| Cardiopulmonary conditions (pre-/postsurgery, endurance issues, energy conservation, activity modification) | PT/OT |
| Dressing/grooming | OT |
| Bathing | OT |
| Feeding/meal preparation | OT |
| Confusion at any level, including memory problems | SLP/OT |
| Swallowing | SLP |
| Articulating clearly | SLP |
Home Care Service Area
VNS Health Home Care services are available in:
- The Bronx
- Brooklyn
- Manhattan
- Queens
- Staten Island
- Nassau County
- Suffolk County
- Westchester County
Related Resources
Behavioral Health
VNS Health offers specialized behavioral health programs that deliver consistent, coordinated care to the people who need it.
