How long does home health care last?

Home health lasts as long as you qualify and your doctor orders it. Your doctor approves care for up to 60 days at a time. If you still qualify, your doctor can renew it, and Medicare has no limit on how many times.

Updated October 2026

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Care comes in 60-day periods

Your doctor signs your plan of care for up to 60 days. This is called a certification period.
Near the end of each period, a nurse or therapist checks how you are doing.
If you still qualify, your doctor can recertify you for another 60 days.
Medicare does not limit how many 60-day periods you can have, as long as you still qualify.

Source: Medicare Benefit Policy Manual, chapter 7, section 10.3 (CMS).

How often visits happen

Your doctor’s orders set how often a nurse or therapist visits. The schedule often changes as you get stronger.

Visits are part-time. Each one usually lasts less than an hour. Medicare does not pay for someone to stay all day.

When home health ends

Home health usually ends when one of these happens:

You meet the goals in your care plan.
You are no longer homebound. You may be ready for outpatient therapy.
You no longer need skilled nursing or therapy.
You and your doctor choose a different kind of care, like hospice or a nursing facility.
You decide to stop. You can say no to care at any time.

If you go into the hospital, home health stops for a while. Your doctor can order it again when you go home.

You do not have to keep improving

Some people are told care must end because they have “plateaued.” Medicare does not require you to keep getting better.

If you need skilled care to keep your health from getting worse, Medicare can keep covering it.

Sources: Benefit Policy Manual chapter 7, section 20.1.2, and the Jimmo settlement (CMS).

You get notice before covered care ends

The agency must give you a form called the Notice of Medicare Non-Coverage. You should get it at least 2 days before your covered services end.

If you think care is ending too soon, you can ask for a fast appeal. Follow the steps on the notice. Ask no later than noon the day before the end date. An independent reviewer decides.

Source: Medicare.gov: Fast appeals.

Before your last visit

Ask which exercises to keep doing, and how often.
Ask if you need outpatient therapy, and how to set it up.
Know the warning signs for your health problem and who to call.
Make sure you have a follow-up visit with your doctor.
Ask how to start home health again if your health changes.

Can home health start again?

Yes. If your health changes and you qualify again, your doctor can order home health again. Call us at 214-440-1394 (Texas), 303-597-0505 (Colorado), 248-607-6698 (Michigan), or 702-450-1855 (Nevada) with questions.

Questions? Call us.

We can answer questions about home health, Medicare, and your insurance, before or during care.