Home Health Leaders Applaud Introduction of Senate & House Legislation to Strengthen Medicare Home Health Reforms

The Partnership for Quality Home Healthcare and National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC) commend Senators John Kennedy (R-LA) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) for introducing legislation in the Senate and Representatives Ralph Abraham (R-LA), Garrett Graves (R-LA), Scott DeJarlais (R-TN), Vern Buchanan (R-FL), and Terri Sewell (D-AL) to introducing legislation in the House to improve home health payment reform to ensure beneficiary access to quality care services is not compromised for America’s growing senior population.

The bills (S.3458, H.R. 6932) would amend several provisions of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 (BBA) which adversely affect home healthcare services and could unintentionally threaten access to care for vulnerable home health patients. Specifically, the bills would require Medicare to implement adjustments to reimbursement rates only after behavioral changes by home health agencies (HHAs) that affect Medicare spending actually occur instead of assuming changes might happen. By requiring the payment model to utilize observed evidence of behavioral changes, the bills would ensure a smoother transition to the new payment system, which is the most significant payment change to the home health system in more than 20 years.

“The Partnership applauds this group of Senate and House lawmakers for introducing these vital pieces of legislation, which will better align Medicare payment with patient care by ensuring payment adjustments are made based on observed behavioral changes among providers,” said Keith Myers, Chairman of the Partnership. “With more and more seniors – especially seniors who are frail and suffer from multiple chronic conditions – requiring home healthcare, it is critical that payment reforms are based on actual behaviors, not arbitrary assumptions, so that home healthcare services are not disrupted.”

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