Please call 1-800-842-8275 for referrals or information on Roanoke Home Care & Hospice. Ask to speak with the Referral Nurse.

Infusion Nursing is a service provided to patients who require infusion therapy in the home. Infusion therapy may be necessary for a variety of reasons including pain management, hydration, antibiotic therapy, total parental nutrition, or chemotherapy. An individual may qualify for this service if he/she meets the following criteria:

1. a physician to order the necessary medication
   
   
2. a medical need for the infusion to be administered,
   
   
3. a safe home environment for the infusion to be administered,
   
   
4. necessary electrical power and accessible outlets for using infusion pumps in the home,
   
   
5. adequate refrigeration for the storage of the medication,
   
   
6. a teachable person (may be the patient) to be responsible for the procedure.

This service is usually covered by Medicare, Medicaid and most private insurance companies and includes the supplies and the nursing visits. However, Medicare and some private insurance companies do not cover the cost of the medication. Medicare is very strict about what drugs are covered in the home setting. Medicaid will usually pay for more types of medications in the home setting.
In order to obtain coverage of the medication, RHCH maintains a contractual relationship with infusion companies to provide the agency/patient with the necessary infusion supplies and the medication. This may be done in either of two ways:

1. The patient is admitted to RHCH and our staff provides the services and we contract with the infusion company to provide the medication and the infusion supplies. RHCH bills the payor source for the nursing visits and the infusion supplies. The Infusion Company then bills a secondary insurance for the medication or may set up a payment plan with the patient.
   
   
2. The patient is admitted to the Infusion Company by the staff of RHCH. Our staff provides the nursing visits and bills them to the Infusion Company. The Infusion Company then bills the payor for all services and supplies. Medicaid and some private insurance’s operate in this manner in certain situations in order to have only one bill coming to them.