When a loved one requires medical care, many questions and concerns arise. Can the medical care be received in the home or is a nursing facility or some other institutional care required? Who can provide these services? Where do I find information?
Virtually every type of healthcare short of surgery can be performed in the home. Today millions of Americans benefit from oxygen therapy, wheelchairs, skilled nursing, sleep therapy, infusion therapy, diabetes supplies, hospice, and other medical services, supplies, and equipment at home.
The American Association for Homecare has created a webpage with resources and information to help you navigate these questions. Please visit www.aahomecare.org/athome for more information or see www.benefitscheckup.org.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Sen. Baucus Touts Services Provided in the Home and Community
U.S. Senator Max Baucus (D-Mont.) released his healthcare reform plan today, saying the need for reform is so great we have to act now. In his introduction to the plan, Baucus stated the need for healthcare policies that “shift the focus from institutional care to services provided in the home and community” in order to improve quality of care and reduce costs.
However, he also proposed in his plan that competitive bidding is an anti-fraud program and is a sound payment methodology for home medical equipment and services in Medicare. The American Association for Homecare disagrees with this statement.
The Association is on record as noting that the competitive bidding program for home medical equipment, which was reformed and delayed by MIPPA, is a price-setting mechanism – not an anti-fraud measure. The Association believes that the federal government should not arbitrarily limit the number of homecare providers who furnish care to seniors and people with disabilities. The number of providers should be determined by the marketplace.
In response to the healthcare plan, Tyler Wilson, president and CEO of AAHomecare, said, “The underlying rationale for competitive bidding completely misrepresents the nature of home medical equipment and related services that are integral to homecare. Competitive bidding would reduce quality of care and access to homecare for millions of seniors and people with disabilities.”
To learn more about AAHomecare’s response to the Senator’s plan, visit the AAHomecare newsroom at www.aahomecare.org.
However, he also proposed in his plan that competitive bidding is an anti-fraud program and is a sound payment methodology for home medical equipment and services in Medicare. The American Association for Homecare disagrees with this statement.
The Association is on record as noting that the competitive bidding program for home medical equipment, which was reformed and delayed by MIPPA, is a price-setting mechanism – not an anti-fraud measure. The Association believes that the federal government should not arbitrarily limit the number of homecare providers who furnish care to seniors and people with disabilities. The number of providers should be determined by the marketplace.
In response to the healthcare plan, Tyler Wilson, president and CEO of AAHomecare, said, “The underlying rationale for competitive bidding completely misrepresents the nature of home medical equipment and related services that are integral to homecare. Competitive bidding would reduce quality of care and access to homecare for millions of seniors and people with disabilities.”
To learn more about AAHomecare’s response to the Senator’s plan, visit the AAHomecare newsroom at www.aahomecare.org.
Where Does the Home Medical Equipment Sector Go from Here?
Where does the industry go from here? That topic was discussed by a roundtable panel of leaders from the home medical equipment (HME) community during a general session that started off the first day of Medtrade.
Tyler Wilson, president of AAHomecare, led a discussion about trends driving change. Participants included Invacare VP Cara Bachenheimer, BLACKBURN’S VP Georgie Blackburn, Alan Landauer, chair of Landauer Metropolitan, Pride Mobility Chairman and CEO Scott Meuser, and John Miclot, president and CEO of Philips Respironics.
Alan Landauer observed that the HME sector needs to be realistic and be more active than other healthcare sectors competing for attention in Washington. Many lawmakers still consider cuts to homecare as “low hanging fruit” that can easily be picked off. Going forward, he said, “We need to provide solutions.” His advice to companies facing both tighter credit and lower reimbursement rates: “Make friends with your bank.”
Scott Meuser said survivors in the HME sector will be those companies that innovate and are economically efficient. The HME sector also needs to adopt a marketing perspective to combating the problems in Washington. The fraud issue, he said, is “ruining our brand.” While there has been encouraging progress, Meuser noted “We have to market the value proposition” of homecare. To get that message across, “AAHomecare is the Chief Marketing Officer. We need more providers joining AAHomecare.” Also, he said after the many long battles in Washington, the homecare community needs to “create an era of mutual trust” with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
Georgie Blackburn noted that working with lawmakers on Capitol Hill has been eye-opening and encouraging. Meeting recently with a congressional office, “I found an applaud for our industry. The congressional staff said, ‘How can I help you, Georgie?’” She pointed to the success the HME community has achieved this year as evidence for optimism. “When we speak together, we can make changes.” Her advice to companies: “Payor mix keeps you healthy.” But she noted that Medicare rates serve as a benchmark, and therefore HME must be paid fairly by all payors.
John Miclot commented that the future of homecare will be characterized by patients with a wider range of diseases, and the number of those patients will be “substantially larger.” He said new technologies will be available to help care for people in their homes. “It will be a very exciting time for the industry.” But in the meantime, he noted, “we need some stability over three to five years – that would be very healthy for the industry.”
Cara Bachenheimer said HME will have an evolving role in healthcare involving therapies of greater complexity for and increased variety of illnesses. The HME sector needs to continue to work to “unify and pull together” in order to accomplish some of the key tasks ahead, such as getting the services required in HME recognized and paid for in Medicare. Bachenheimer noted that legislators on Capitol Hill recognize the expertise in the HME sector and appreciate ideas and suggestions from HME. For instance, the AAHomecare 13-point plan to stop Medicare fraud represents “the meat of the matter,” she said.
Tyler Wilson, president of AAHomecare, led a discussion about trends driving change. Participants included Invacare VP Cara Bachenheimer, BLACKBURN’S VP Georgie Blackburn, Alan Landauer, chair of Landauer Metropolitan, Pride Mobility Chairman and CEO Scott Meuser, and John Miclot, president and CEO of Philips Respironics.
Alan Landauer observed that the HME sector needs to be realistic and be more active than other healthcare sectors competing for attention in Washington. Many lawmakers still consider cuts to homecare as “low hanging fruit” that can easily be picked off. Going forward, he said, “We need to provide solutions.” His advice to companies facing both tighter credit and lower reimbursement rates: “Make friends with your bank.”
Scott Meuser said survivors in the HME sector will be those companies that innovate and are economically efficient. The HME sector also needs to adopt a marketing perspective to combating the problems in Washington. The fraud issue, he said, is “ruining our brand.” While there has been encouraging progress, Meuser noted “We have to market the value proposition” of homecare. To get that message across, “AAHomecare is the Chief Marketing Officer. We need more providers joining AAHomecare.” Also, he said after the many long battles in Washington, the homecare community needs to “create an era of mutual trust” with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
Georgie Blackburn noted that working with lawmakers on Capitol Hill has been eye-opening and encouraging. Meeting recently with a congressional office, “I found an applaud for our industry. The congressional staff said, ‘How can I help you, Georgie?’” She pointed to the success the HME community has achieved this year as evidence for optimism. “When we speak together, we can make changes.” Her advice to companies: “Payor mix keeps you healthy.” But she noted that Medicare rates serve as a benchmark, and therefore HME must be paid fairly by all payors.
John Miclot commented that the future of homecare will be characterized by patients with a wider range of diseases, and the number of those patients will be “substantially larger.” He said new technologies will be available to help care for people in their homes. “It will be a very exciting time for the industry.” But in the meantime, he noted, “we need some stability over three to five years – that would be very healthy for the industry.”
Cara Bachenheimer said HME will have an evolving role in healthcare involving therapies of greater complexity for and increased variety of illnesses. The HME sector needs to continue to work to “unify and pull together” in order to accomplish some of the key tasks ahead, such as getting the services required in HME recognized and paid for in Medicare. Bachenheimer noted that legislators on Capitol Hill recognize the expertise in the HME sector and appreciate ideas and suggestions from HME. For instance, the AAHomecare 13-point plan to stop Medicare fraud represents “the meat of the matter,” she said.
November is National Homecare Month
During November, which is National Homecare Month, the American Association for Homecare celebrates the thousands of dedicated professionals who provide cost-effective and consumer-preferred homecare.
Among the eight million Americans who depend on homecare for medically required services or equipment are people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), multiple sclerosis, Lou Gehrig’s disease, spinal cord injuries, congestive heart failure, diabetes, and other conditions. Homecare services include oxygen therapy, wheelchairs, skilled nursing, sleep therapy, infusion therapy, diabetes supplies, hospice, and other medical services, supplies, and equipment at home.
The home is the most cost-effective setting for medical care. To learn more about homecare and the benefits of the services offered, visit the AAHomecare newsroom to read the full Homecare Month press release (http://www.aahomecare.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=2).
Among the eight million Americans who depend on homecare for medically required services or equipment are people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), multiple sclerosis, Lou Gehrig’s disease, spinal cord injuries, congestive heart failure, diabetes, and other conditions. Homecare services include oxygen therapy, wheelchairs, skilled nursing, sleep therapy, infusion therapy, diabetes supplies, hospice, and other medical services, supplies, and equipment at home.
The home is the most cost-effective setting for medical care. To learn more about homecare and the benefits of the services offered, visit the AAHomecare newsroom to read the full Homecare Month press release (http://www.aahomecare.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=2).
Friday, October 31, 2008
Candidates Views on Homecare
This historic election and the past year of policy changes related to homecare has prompted many within the HME community to ask which candidates and parties will be friendlier toward the durable medical equipment sector. The American Association for Homecare doesn’t endorse candidates, but we do work closely with and contribute to both Democrats and Republicans because HME issues are not usually partisan.
To help in your research, AAHomecare has gleaned information from both of the presidential candidates’ websites, the debates, and from the Kaiser Health Foundations 2008 Presidential Candidates Comparison website (http://www.health08.org/healthissues_sidebyside.cfm).
Both Senators consider homecare to be important and want to strengthen long term care policies. Barack Obama’s website state’s he supports the Community Choice Act of 2007 which would allow Americans with significant disabilities the choice of living in their community rather than having to live in a nursing home or other institution. He also supports Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) Act which creates a voluntary budget-neutral national insurance program to assist adults with functional disabilities, allowing them to remain independent and in their communities. During the Republican ABC-Facebook debates which took place early in January, in Manchester, NH, John McCain advocated for home healthcare: “We need incentives for home healthcare as opposed to long term care. In my state of Arizona we adopted a proposal which incentivizes health care providers to keep people in home health care settings. It’s dramatically less expensive than long term care. In Arizona we have one half the numbers of people per capita in long term care facilities as the state of Pennsylvania. Incentives to keep cost down…there are no incentives in the system today.”
Both have made statements on Medicare fraud as well. Obama says he would empower the HHS Inspector General to fight fraud, implement anti-fraud measures in CMS contracting, expand the scope of Medicare and Medicaid audits, strengthen the federal False Claims Act, encourage states to go after fraud, and increase funding for Justice Department prosecutors and FBI agents to fight fraud. McCain simply states he advocates a zero tolerance policy towards Medicare fraud.
This is an important election year for congressional seats as well. Homecare has very strong champions in both political parties and we encourage DME providers to introduce themselves to the candidates and make sure new members of the Senate and House understand the value of homecare to their local communities. This is particularly important since most of the homecare policy has come out of Congress (not necessarily the White House) over the years.
AAHomecare encourages you to read both candidates healthcare plans and pay close attention to the congressional races. And don’t forget to vote on November 4!
To help in your research, AAHomecare has gleaned information from both of the presidential candidates’ websites, the debates, and from the Kaiser Health Foundations 2008 Presidential Candidates Comparison website (http://www.health08.org/healthissues_sidebyside.cfm).
Both Senators consider homecare to be important and want to strengthen long term care policies. Barack Obama’s website state’s he supports the Community Choice Act of 2007 which would allow Americans with significant disabilities the choice of living in their community rather than having to live in a nursing home or other institution. He also supports Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) Act which creates a voluntary budget-neutral national insurance program to assist adults with functional disabilities, allowing them to remain independent and in their communities. During the Republican ABC-Facebook debates which took place early in January, in Manchester, NH, John McCain advocated for home healthcare: “We need incentives for home healthcare as opposed to long term care. In my state of Arizona we adopted a proposal which incentivizes health care providers to keep people in home health care settings. It’s dramatically less expensive than long term care. In Arizona we have one half the numbers of people per capita in long term care facilities as the state of Pennsylvania. Incentives to keep cost down…there are no incentives in the system today.”
Both have made statements on Medicare fraud as well. Obama says he would empower the HHS Inspector General to fight fraud, implement anti-fraud measures in CMS contracting, expand the scope of Medicare and Medicaid audits, strengthen the federal False Claims Act, encourage states to go after fraud, and increase funding for Justice Department prosecutors and FBI agents to fight fraud. McCain simply states he advocates a zero tolerance policy towards Medicare fraud.
This is an important election year for congressional seats as well. Homecare has very strong champions in both political parties and we encourage DME providers to introduce themselves to the candidates and make sure new members of the Senate and House understand the value of homecare to their local communities. This is particularly important since most of the homecare policy has come out of Congress (not necessarily the White House) over the years.
AAHomecare encourages you to read both candidates healthcare plans and pay close attention to the congressional races. And don’t forget to vote on November 4!
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