1. What is home health care and the types of services they provide? Home health care is a system of care made available for use by skilled practitioners to patients in their homes under the guidance of a physician. The aim of home health care is to assist patients with improving function and live with greater autonomy, further encourage the patient’s optimal level of well-being, and to help the patient to remain at home, avoiding hospitalization or admission to long-term care institutions. 2. What is the purpose of the Medicare Home Health Face-to-Face requirement? The purpose of the face-to-face requirement is to ensure that physicians and nurse practitioners continue to have regular contact with long-stay patients, and that patients continue to meet criteria for Medicare coverage of hospice services. Additionally, to prevent fraud and to promote communication during transitions between health care settings.