Five Reasons You Shouldn’t Delay Home Healthcare

If you’re a nuclear weapons or uranium worker who has qualified for an Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act (EEOICPA) white medical benefits card, you are entitled to free home healthcare. It’s a right that you have already earned and fully deserve.

Type of care

A wide array of homecare services is available completely free of charge under EEOICPA. Homecare is typically divided into two categories: skilled and unskilled.

Skilled care is typically provided by a medical professional, such as a physician, RN/LPN or physical/speech/occupational therapist. Common services include the administration of prescription medications (including IV drugs), wound dressing, therapy and the ongoing assessment of medical conditions.

Unskilled care, in contrast, typically includes assistance with activities of daily living, including bathing, dressing, meal preparation, transportation to and from physician appointments, and light housekeeping. These tasks are most often provided by a home health aide or personal care attendant.

In addition to these responsibilities, home healthcare providers also act as liaisons to facilitate communications among the patient, the healthcare team, and the patient’s family. A case manager serves the critical role of coordinating care services and helping the patient and family members access necessary social, educational and other miscellaneous services directly related to the covered condition. At Professional Case Management (PCM) the Case Manager is a Registered Nurse.

Benefits of acting quickly

Despite the fact that all of these services are free and designed to improve the quality of life of patients and their families, many nuclear weapons and uranium workers don’t leverage them or they delay services. The reasons vary. Lack of knowledge is a key one, as some workers don’t know that they qualify for home healthcare and that it is, truly, free. Others don’t think they are sick enough to warrant care from a provider. Still others view home healthcare as a sign that they’ve given up.

The reality is there is no good reason to not fully utilize the homecare services you have earned. And there’s certainly no reason to delay services. Leveraging homecare sooner rather than later results in numerous advantages.  Here are just five of the reasons why you should act now:

1. Live a longer, healthier life

A 2019 study published in the American Journal of Accountable Care showed that home healthcare is more effective at improving patient outcomes. Specifically, it demonstrated that the group of patients who were treated in a home-based setting were significantly less likely to be admitted or readmitted to the hospital. In addition, a professional provider in the home is specially trained to spot symptoms and complications that a family member caregiver might miss, thereby getting you the necessary medical help before a more serious condition arises.

2. Age in the comfort and familiarity of your own home

Research suggests that more than 90% of people over the age of 65 prefer to age in place in their home that’s filled with special memories and familiar things. By bringing in outside professional help, many workers, who would have otherwise been forced to move to a nursing home or assisted living facility, are able to remain in their own home and keep with their standard routines while maintaining a sense of independence and dignity.

3. Improve the quality of life of your family members and improve relationships with them

Even the most devoted family members can experience caregiver burnout. Trying to care for you while also handling household responsibilities and, possibly, a job outside the home, can be overwhelming. Not only can it create health problems for the caregiver as a result of the added stress, but it can also strain relationships by creating frustration and resentment. Bringing in another set of helping hands can help free up time so you and your loved ones can make the most of your time together, creating special memories, instead of added increasing work and responsibility.

4. Reduce lag time in receiving the care you need.

The process for being approved for free homecare services through the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) as part of EEOICPA is long and complex. If you delay homecare until you are very sick, you may not be able to get approval quickly in your time of need. The sooner you make the decision to apply for FREE homecare, the sooner you can start receiving services designed to improve your quality of life and that of your loved ones. It is then often an easier process should you eventually require a higher level of care.

5. Receive more comprehensive care.

By engaging now with a professional homecare services provider, you start establishing a formal record of your medical stats, such as pulse, blood pressure, lung performance, etc. Your homecare provider is then able to relay this information to your physician who is able to make better, informed decisions about your care as a result of the added information. In addition, since in-home nurses see patients more frequently than the primary care provider, they often spot problems and inconsistencies first and can flag issues for primary care doctors before they become more serious.  All this leads to better overall health and a more comprehensive care regimen.

Choosing a provider

Once you are approved for home healthcare services, you may choose any EEOICPA-approved care provider. Keep in mind, however, that not all providers are equal in the type and quality of services they provide. So it’s important to check references and ask questions—a lot of them! Some of the more important questions include:

• How long has the company been providing home healthcare services under the EEOICPA?
• Has the company received its ACHC accreditation, which represents the highest third-party accreditation available in the industry?
• Does the company employ its own homecare providers or subcontract them?
• Beyond homecare, what else does the provider do to advance the interests of nuclear weapons and uranium workers?

PCM was one of the first enrolled providers under the EEOICPA. We’ve been 100% dedicated to serving the needs of nuclear weapons and uranium workers and their families longer than anyone; it’s all that we do. We directly employ our home healthcare nurses, aides, and attendants to provide better oversight and quality control of their work. And we’re ACHC-accredited. In addition, through Cold War Patriots, we also advocate for the interests and recognize the contributions of nuclear weapons and uranium workers to America’s nuclear defense.

To learn more about why PCM is the provider of choice for many U.S. DOL white medical benefits card holders, visit our website. Note that you can change homecare providers at any time.

Act now

Don’t delay. Start the process of applying for free homecare today. Call 1.866.387.2123 or visit www.procasemanagement.com to learn how to get started.