Some patients have no idea what short-term rehabilitation means or what the process entails until they are faced with the need for it after a health issue arises. If you or a loved one need rehabilitation after a hospital stay or even an at-home illness, you need to understand several important aspects of this process. 

Need

If you or your loved one have been in a debilitating accident, illness, or surgery, a short-term rehabilitation facility can help you recover enough to function at home. Before receiving benefits for one of these facilities, you must have documentation from your medical professionals showing that you need skilled care, which often includes physical therapy, injections, and other treatments on a daily basis. The length of your stay can be from days to several months, although the average is two to six weeks. 

Medicare

If you are not on Medicare, then you have to determine what your insurance policy will pay for this medical service. Seniors on Medicare receive a 100-day benefit. Traditional Medicare covers your stay at 100% on days 1 - 21. After that, you will have a $141.50 coinsurance payment. Of course, your supplemental insurance policy may well pay for this additional amount. In general, you need to have a three-day qualifying hospital stay before you can be admitted to a rehabilitation program, but sometimes a patient can qualify and be admitted from home.

Choice

Often, you have to choose a short-term rehabilitation facility quickly. You or someone acting on your behalf first needs to ascertain if your insurance coverage is accepted there. Then you need to find out the staff to patient ratio to make sure you will get the attention you need. You should also learn the types of therapy that are offered and find out how often you will receive these services. Finally, learn if the facility offers transitional services to help you adapt to life at home once again. 

Often, people know little about short-term rehabilitation until they need it. When you or someone close to you suffers from an illness or injury that requires skilled care, you need to understand your options. Many nursing homes offer this service, but the goal is to return you to your home as soon as is safely possible. If you choose the right program, you will recover quickly and be able to thrive at home once again. Understanding what short-term rehabilitation is now will help you make the right choices later. For more information about rehabilitation, contact a business such as The Village At Morrisons Cove.