This news release from HCAA says it all. You need to know this information
as users or potential users of HOME healthcare. I wish we could get the
government off the dialogue about Clinton's tricks and on to important
business. Home care agencies are still struggling!
Karen deGraaf RN in home health care 20+ years ( 53/6mos)
Home Care Association of America:
Budget Surplus On the Backs of Our Sickest Seniors!
JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Sept. 30 /PRNewswire/ The following statement was
released by the Home Care Association of America today:
As Democrats and Republicans fight over credit for the budget "surplus",
the Interim Payment System (IPS) for home health care, which was included in
the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, is forcing our nation's sickest homebound
patients into more costly nursing homes and forcing efficient home health
agencies to close all across the nation.
The blame for the IPS falls upon the Health Care Financing Administration
(HCFA). HCFA recommended forcing home health agencies (HHA) back to fiscal
1993/1994 reimbursement levels under the guise of reducing runaway costs and
controlling "fraud" in the home health industry. Here are two lies HCFA told
Congress in 1997: First, HHA "improper claims" are 40.0% (TRUTH -- HHA
"improper claims" were only 14.8% and compared equally to other health care
providers); Second, HHA growth is runaway at 20% per year (TRUTH -- HHA 1997
growth was only 3%). Unfortunately, Rep. Bill Thomas (R-CA), Chairman of the
Health Subcommittee of the House Ways and Means Committee, fell for HCFA's
deception: hook, line and sinker. Now Congress is wrestling with how to
solve this problem, but Thomas is offering only "half-solutions" that don't
correct the problem.
The result of the IPS is that two home health agencies in one town may
have two largely different levels of Medicare reimbursement for the same home
health benefit. What's worse is that the more efficient agency is the one
paid the least, and their patients are forced to suffer. In addition, the IPS
has forced over 1,200 home health agencies out of business.
Physician-certified homebound patients are (against the desire of the patient)
being forced into nursing homes, which in the end costs more to the Medicare
Trust Funds than home health care.
Congratulations Congress, you've partially created a budget surplus on the
backs of the oldest, frailest, poorest and mostly female members of our
population. The only remedy for this critical problem is for Congress to pass
legislation that imposes a retroactive moratorium on the IPS. Unfortunately,
the leadership of both parties seems reluctant to take the steps necessary to
honestly correct this problem. Half solutions will do nothing to protect our
patients or small home health agencies.
Scott Lara
Director of Governmental Affairs
Home Care Association of America
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