1. Medicare is a Federal Health Insurance Program available for U.S. citizens and permanent residents age 65 and older. To be eligible to receive Medicare, a person must worked for in a job paid into the Medicare system for at least 10 years. A person who has received disability benefits for 2 years, may also qualify. Medicare also covers a person with end-stage kidney disease if they have had the illness for at least 3 months.
2. Physical therapy, speech therapy and occupational therapy may be covered. The service must be expected to improve the care recipients functioning.
3. Home health care patients must be under the care of a doctor, who will oversee care and give any orders that are needed.
4. The services provided must be reasonable and necessary for diagnosis or treatment. They must also be expected to improve the life of the patient.
5. When care is given through a home health care agency, the agency must be approved to receive Medicare payment. They must also meet some federal rules, and must be able to give skilled nursing care.

Understanding Medicare can be confusing and always involves some paperwork. You may want to think about hiring an elder specialist to help you in getting through the system.