Tip -What is “homebound”?

If you are homebound, do you never, ever leave your house? No, that’s not it.

Medicare defines homebound as not being able to leave one’s home without help “because of an illness or injury,” if leaving the home is not recommended “because of your condition” or because leaving home is “a major effort.”

You don’t need to be bedridden or use a wheelchair to be homebound. You can leave home for short infrequent trips, such as to a doctor appointment. You may be temporarily homebound if, for example, you were in a car accident and broke both legs. Eventually you will recover, but at this point you are homebound.

But being unable to drive and not having transportation is NOT considered homebound, however.

If you do not have Medicare coverage, check your insurance policy for its definition of “homebound.” Insurance companies make their own rules about this health status.