Cleaning Services for Seniors Covered by Medicare: What's Covered and How to Get Help

Keeping your home clean and tidy can have a big impact on your mental wellbeing. But staying on top of these tasks can become more difficult as we age.

Though Medicare does not cover the cost of general house cleaning services, beneficiaries recovering from an illness or injury can get home health aide services, including help with walking, bathing or grooming, and changing bed linens through Medicare Parts A & B. People with Medicare Advantage plans may receive different benefits, depending on their specific plan.

In this article, we’ll explain what home care Medicare covers, the requirements and costs of these services, and where to look for help with affordable home cleaning.

Key takeaways

• Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans don’t cover general housekeeping or house cleaning services.

• With Original Medicare, you may qualify for some home health aide services if your provider deems it medically necessary to treat an existing condition or injury.

• Consider reaching out to your local aging institute or volunteer organizations to inquire whether or not they offer programs that help with cleaning services.

What Medicare covers regarding home cleaning

Medicare Parts A & B cover the cost of what it calls “home health care” to support in-home recovery from an illness or injury. 

Examples of Medicare-covered home health services include:

• Medically necessary* part-time or intermittent skilled nursing care (including wound care, patient education, intravenous or nutrition therapy, and injections)

• *Note: In order for home care to be deemed medically necessary, your provider will need to order these services as necessary to treat an existing condition.

• Physical therapy

• Occupational therapy

• Speech-language pathology services 

• Durable medical equipment

If you're receiving skilled nursing care at home, physical therapy, occupational therapy, or speech-language pathology services through Medicare, you may also qualify for part-time or intermittent home health aide care. 

Home health aide care services include:

• Help with walking

• Bathing or grooming

• Changing bed linens

• Feeding 

What are the requirements for receiving home health care through Medicare?

In order to receive home health care through Medicare, a health care provider must evaluate you in-person in order to prescribe your care. You must then work with a Medicare-certified home health agency. 

Home health agency staff will work directly with your provider on your care plan and keep them updated on your progress. Home health staff will make as many visits as recommended by your provider.

What are the costs and hours of home health care through Medicare?

Medicare will cover up to eight hours a day of home health care for a maximum of 28 hours per week. If your provider deems it medically necessary, you may be able to get more frequent care for a short period of time. 

You won’t have to pay anything for covered home health services. But there may be other services or equipment that Medicare won’t pay for or for which it won’t cover the full cost. The agency you work with will send you a notice called “The Advance Beneficiary Notice (ABN)” detailing any services or supplies that Medicare won’t cover.

What cleaning services Medicare does not cover

Medicare does not cover the cost of general cleaning or housekeeping services unrelated to an injury or illness.

Types of services not typically covered by Medicare include:

• General house cleaning or homemaker services unrelated to your medical care 

• Shopping

• Home meal delivery

• 24-hour care at your home

• Non-medical custodial or personal care (like help getting dressed or bathing) if that is the only care you need

Medicare Advantage additional benefits

Medicare Advantage (Part C) benefits will differ depending on the type of plan you have, but most plans don’t cover general housekeeping or cleaning.

Some Medicare Advantage plans may offer some cleaning or home health benefits not included in Original Medicare if you have a condition like asthma. Check with your plan for more information on what’s covered when it comes to home health benefits.

How to find affordable cleaning help for seniors

If you don’t qualify for home health care through Medicare or need alternative assistance with cleaning services, there are programs to consider:

• Senior service directories: Contact your local institute on aging to inquire about their senior service directories. Ask if they know of any programs that offer discounted home health and cleaning services.

• Medicaid home and community-based services waivers: Medicaid recipients can inquire about home-based waivers which provide certain at-home caretaker services, like home health aides, for the same cost as institutional levels of care.

• Community volunteer programs: Ask your local community volunteer organizations if they have a program that assists seniors with cleaning services at home. 

Bottom line

Unfortunately, Medicare does not cover general house cleaning services. However, Original Medicare (Parts A & B) will cover medically necessary home health care, which may include changing bed linens, if you’re already receiving at-home skilled nursing care. 

Benefits for Medicare Advantage recipients may differ, though most plans don’t cover general housekeeping services either. 

If you need financial assistance with cleaning services, consider contacting your local committee on aging or community volunteer organizations to inquire about programs that can help you with house cleaning and other forms of home care.

Frequently asked questions

Does Medicare pay for housekeeping services?

No, Medicare does not cover the cost of general housekeeping services.

What home services does Medicare cover for seniors?

Medicare can cover the cost of certain home services if they’re deemed medically necessary to treat or diagnose an existing condition.

How can seniors get help with cleaning if Medicare doesn't cover it?

Reach out to your local institute on aging and community volunteer organizations to see if any programs assist seniors with cleaning.

Do Medicare Advantage plans cover housekeeping?

Medicare Advantage benefits will vary depending on the type of plan you have, though most plans do not cover housekeeping services.

What's the difference between home health aides and housekeepers?

According to Medicare, home health aides are skilled healthcare professionals that help patients with daily activities walking, bathing or grooming, changing bed linens, and feeding. Housekeepers are cleaning professionals who clean homes.

How do I find affordable cleaning services for elderly parents?

You can look into your local committee on aging and community volunteer organizations to see if any programs in your area help with senior housecleaning.

Sources

Home health services. (n.d.). Medicare. https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/home-health-services 

Home & Community-Based Services 1915 (c). (n.d.) Medicaid. https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/home-community-based-services/home-community-based-services-authorities/home-community-based-services-1915c