Congress must stave off Medicare cuts to protect home health care

For years, professionals in the home care and hospice industry have been working nonstop on behalf of pediatric patients, geriatric patients, disabled veterans, and anyone in need of home care, regardless of age or disability. This work and the challenges our patients face are largely invisible to most, unless you’re one of the families desperately relying on home care services. Our industry is proud to serve this incredibly diverse patient population and our workforce doesn’t show up every day for the accolades — we show up for the disabled child, the elderly patient, and the relieved caregivers who count on us to keep their loved one at home and make life a little easier.

Though we may be in the background of the health care landscape, our industry can no longer afford to be silent. Home care and hospice providers are facing rising inflation, healthcare worker-shortages, and increased fuel costs to travel from home to home, significantly impacting patient care and access to critical home care services. These issues are further compounded by the current COVID-19 public health emergency and recent devastating proposed reductions to the federal Medicare home health benefit.

Click here to see the full article on the Austin American-Statesman website.