I have been lurking on this listserv for about one month.  I
am a RN (52/6months) who is still fortunately working fulltime.  My career
focus for the last twelve years has been home health care.  Home health is
under undue constraints and numerous large agencies have closed after 100+
years of operation and many others are in jeopardy ever since Clinton signed
the Balanced Budget Act 1997.  I won't get into that Act specificially for
my point at this time.

        My concern is NOT for my job, but more importantly for your and my
future home health care needs.


                          In June the Consortium for Citizens
with Disabilities, a coalition of consumer and provider organizations, sent
a letter to every Representative and Senator that stated, "IPS establishes
payment limits that do not adequately reimburse home health providers for
the level of care needed by many of the persons they serve, particularly
those with significant disabilities and chronic health conditions. IPS will
cause many Medicare beneficiaries, such as persons with advanced
Alzheimer's disease and multiple sclerosis, to lose access to the home care
that they are currently receiving and need."
Two issues here:
1.  Add Parkinson's to the list of those that will lose access to the home
care they will need if IPS is not
"reformed".
2.  I did not see any Parkinson's organization as a member of the Consortium
for Citizens with Disabilities--why not?

       Fellow  USA Parkies, this is a big issue that needs your involvement
so that home health care is there for you when and if you need it. The
letter went on to state, "IPS emphasizes short-term savings at the  expense
of sound medical judgement and quality care, beneficiary health and  choice,
and the long-term cost benefit of services provided in the home  rather than
emergency rooms, hospitals, and nursing homes."

        Home Health Care agencies in the US and their representative
organizations (National Association for Home Care,  The American Federation
of Home Health Agencies, etc) request your help and sincerely hope we can
enlist you in the fight for a IPS moratorium.  PLEASE  contact
your Representatives and Senators and demand that Congress the pass
moratorium  legislation  i.e.
S. 2354, H.R. 4339 , H.R. 4404.

        I gave you a sketchy view at best about the budget attack home
health has been dealt.  But, I gave you some  food for thought, hopefully.
I don't have all the answers but killing off home  health care to save money
or because ten agencies out of 10,000 across the states were fraudulent, is
not the answer.  Home care agencies across the nation ARE  willing to do
whatever makes good sense for the patients and we will cut costs, but not
when the chronic care patient loses out the most!

        This is a  serious issue and I sollicit your help.  Don't hestitate
to contact me personally if you  have questions or concerns, but PLEASE
remember that I am working fulltime and may not be able to answer everyone
in a timely way
           (No spell checker on this software so please excuse the
keyboard's "lack of knowledge"
[log in to unmask]
6531 Hwy 11
Elizabeth, IN 47117.