Home Care FAQs
If you have questions about receiving our services, including when and how to obtain them, or you want to know more about our staff and paying for services, you can find answers to the most common ones here.
Receiving Services
What types of services does Partners in Care provide?
Is there a minimum amount of service?
What steps are involved in implementing services?
Why is there a four-hour minimum, if I only need a home health aide for two hours?
Why does a PRI only last for 90 days?
How far in advance must I call to set up services?
Once I call and provide all the necessary information to start services, what is the next step?
What is the difference between a licensed agency and a certified agency?
Our Staff Members
What languages do the aides speak?
Are Partners in Care home health aides screened, and in what manner?
Are Partners in Care Home Health Aides insured?
Insurance & Payment
Receiving Services
What types of services does Partners in Care provide?
There are a variety of services that Partners can provide for you or your loved one:
Nursing Assessments (including PRI/Screen)
Personal Care & Companionship Services
Is there a minimum amount of service?
There is a four-hour minimum per day. Care can be provided from one to seven days per week, depending on the client's specific needs.
What steps are involved in implementing services?
The process is very easy. For service in the five boroughs of New York City, Nassau County or Westchester County, simply call 1-888-9-GET-HELP or click here. Working closely with the client, family and physician, a Partners in Care registered nurse will recommend a Plan of Care. This plan is tailored to meet the client's specific needs. Because no two clients are alike, we are careful to match our caregivers with the personalities and needs of the client. A registered nurse will supervise your care.
Why is there a four-hour minimum, if I only need a home health aide for two hours?
We offer a bath service, which provides up to two hours of care, if the only assistance you require is with bathing and grooming. For other home health aide services, we require a four-hour minimum in order to ensure the best possible care and to maintain consistency with the caregiver who is working with the client.
Why does a PRI only last for 90 days?
A PRI (Patient Review Instrument) is required for nursing home eligibility and reimbursement. It is regulated by the NYS Department of Health HealthCare Financing Administration. The NYS Department of Health sets the reporting requirements and has determined that 90 days is the appropriate timeframe in which to provide the most accurate evaluation.
How far in advance must I call to set up services?
We work to handle all service requests as they are needed, from the same day to several weeks in advance. It is helpful if we are given at least 24-hours advanced notice of the time the service is needed.
Once I call and provide all the necessary information to start services, what is the next step?
Once your call is completed, a home health aide supervisor will be assigned to personally assist you with identifying the right staff member to meet your needs. The supervisor will then contact you to provide the name of the home health aide and answer any questions you may have.
If I need to get in touch with someone at Partners in Care over the weekend, on a holiday, or during the night, will someone be available to help me?
Yes, someone is in our office seven days a week and we are accessible 24 hours a day. We also have staff members who are on-call during non-office hours to assist you with any urgent service issues.
What is the difference between a licensed agency and a certified agency?
The regulations for licensed and certified agencies are similar. A certified agency is able to provide services that are reimbursed by Medicare and Medicaid. A licensed agency is not able to receive reimbursement from Medicare or Medicaid. In New York, both certified and licensed agencies are regulated by the NYS Department of Health.
Our Staff Members
What languages do the aides speak?
Our aides speak a variety of languages, including Spanish, Russian and Chinese. We always do our best to locate an aide who speaks the client's preferred language.
Are Partners in Care home health aides screened, and in what manner?
All candidates are carefully screened in the following areas:
- Criminal Background Check. Background checks are completed to screen for felonies, misdemeanors, violations, outstanding warrants, and criminal time served. Partners in Care looks as far back into an individual’s history as possible.
- Social Security Check. This check include all counties in which the candidate has lived or worked.
- Personal References
- Work References
- Employee Health Check. Candidates undergo a drug screening, physical examination and immunization update.
- Proof of Address
- I - 9 Verification
- Certificate Verification
- Interview, skills assessment, and entry-level tests, including reading and writing.
A candidate must pass all of the above criteria as well as complete our rigorous training program.
Are Partners in Care Home Health Aides insured?
All Partners in Care Home Health Aides are insured and certified.
Insurance & Payment
Do you accept any insurance?
We will work with you to determine what your benefit coverage is and what is needed in order for service to be reimbursed. As a courtesy, we will contact your commercial insurance company to determine your eligibility for coverage of home care services, based on your individual policy.
If I am receiving services from a home health aide for a certain number of hours and days a week under Medicare, but I feel that I need more hours, what can I do? May I keep the same aide?
If you wish to extend the hours of services with your home health aide, you can contact Partners in Care at 1-888-9-GET-HELP, and we will get the necessary information to arrange for you to pay privately for the additional hours. A Partners in Care nurse will conduct an assessment of the client, and the home health aide who is providing care will be scheduled to increase their hours to accommodate the client's need for continuity of care.
Contact
For answers to any other questions, please call us at 1-888-9-GET-HELP.