For physicians & discharge planners
Home health referral: refer a patient to Rinaldi
Fax the order and supporting records to (818) 898-1145, or call (818) 898-1100. We accept referrals for patients across Los Angeles County and Southern California, and care typically starts within 24–48 hours.
Send a referral
How to refer
Four steps from order to first visit
Confirm eligibility
The patient is homebound and needs intermittent skilled nursing or therapy.
Document the face-to-face
An in-person encounter within 90 days before or 30 days after the start of care.
Fax the referral
Send the order and records to (818) 898-1145, or call (818) 898-1100.
Start of care
Rinaldi schedules the first home visit — typically within 24–48 hours of the referral.
Checklist
What to send with a referral
A complete packet lets us schedule the start-of-care visit without calling your office back.
Disciplines available
- Skilled nursing
- Physical therapy
- Occupational therapy
- Speech therapy
- Medical social services
- Home health aide
- Patient detailsName, date of birth, address and phone number.
- InsuranceMedicare number or plan information.
- The orderServices requested — nursing, physical, occupational or speech therapy, social work, aide.
- Clinical informationDiagnoses, recent history and physical or discharge summary, and a current medication list.
- Face-to-face documentationThe encounter note supporting the need for home health.
- Ordering practitionerName, NPI and contact information for follow-up.
Medicare requirements
Face-to-face, certification and recertification
The rules below come from the CMS Medicare Benefit Policy Manual, Chapter 7.
Face-to-face timing
The encounter must occur no more than 90 days before, or within 30 days after, the home health start of care, and relate to the primary reason for home health.
Who can certify
Physicians and allowed practitioners — nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists and physician assistants — can certify, order services and review the plan of care.
G0180 and G0179
G0180 covers the initial certification and G0179 the recertification. If care continues, recertify at least every 60 days — there is no limit on continuous recertifications for eligible patients.
FAQ
Referral questions from physicians and planners
How do I refer a patient to Rinaldi Home Health Care?
Fax the home health order and supporting records to (818) 898-1145, or call (818) 898-1100. Include patient demographics and insurance, the services you are ordering, recent clinical notes and the face-to-face encounter documentation.
Who can order home health care?
Physicians and allowed practitioners — nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists and physician assistants — can certify eligibility, order home health services, and establish and review the plan of care under Medicare.
What are the face-to-face requirements for home health?
The face-to-face encounter must be related to the primary reason the patient needs home health and must occur no more than 90 days before, or within 30 days after, the start of care. It can be performed by the certifying physician or allowed practitioner, the facility physician or allowed practitioner who cared for the patient before a direct admission to home health, or an allowed non-physician practitioner.
What are G0180 and G0179?
They are Medicare billing codes for physicians and allowed practitioners: G0180 is used for the initial certification of Medicare home health services, and G0179 for recertification. If care continues, the plan of care is recertified at least every 60 days. Confirm billing details with your billing team.
What is OASIS in home health?
OASIS — the Outcome and Assessment Information Set — is the standardized patient assessment that Medicare-certified home health agencies complete, including at the start of care. Agencies use it to plan care, and Medicare uses it for payment and quality reporting.
How quickly does care start after a referral?
Care typically starts within 24–48 hours after Rinaldi receives a complete referral, for patients across Los Angeles County and Southern California.
Do patients need a referral for home health care?
Yes. Medicare home health requires an in-person visit and an order from a physician or allowed practitioner. Patients and families can call Rinaldi first, and the agency works from the practitioner’s order.
Referring today?
Fax the referral to (818) 898-1145 or call (818) 898-1100. Care typically starts within 24–48 hours of a complete referral.