CMS Pub. 100-02, ch. 7, § 30.2.11

Home Health Services

(Rev. 10438, Issued: 11-06-20, Effective: 03-01-20, Implementation: 01- 11-21)

Once patient eligibility has been confirmed and the plan of care contains physician or

allowed practitioner orders for the qualifying service as well as other Medicare covered

home health services, the qualifying service does not have to be rendered prior to the

other Medicare covered home health services ordered in the plan of care. The sequence

of visits performed by the disciplines must be dictated by the individual patient's plan of

care. For example, for an eligible patient in an initial 60-day certification period that has

both physical therapy and occupational therapy orders in the plan of care, the sequence of

the delivery of the type of therapy is irrelevant as long as the need for the qualifying

service is established prior to the delivery of other Medicare covered services and the

qualifying discipline provides a billable visit prior to transfer or discharge in accordance

with 42 CFR 409.43(f).

NOTE: Dependent services provided after the final qualifying skilled service are not

covered under the home health benefit, except when the dependent service was not

followed by a qualifying skilled service due to unexpected inpatient admission, death of

the patient, or some other unanticipated event.