Home Health Losing Jobs

HOME HEALTH LOSING JOBS — December marked the sharpest loss of jobs from the home health sector in 10 years, and its lobbyists say that’s likely because of major cuts in Medicare payments that are hitting the industry. Before December, when the sector shed 3,700 jobs, it had grown in 125 out of the 131 previous months. “There is widespread concern that this loss in jobs is just the beginning,” Eric Berger, CEO of the Partnership for Quality Home Healthcare, said in a statement. “With home health facing an unprecedented 14 percent cut in Medicare funding over the next four years, significant additional job losses are expected.” The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission has targeted home health payments as “consistently and substantially” exceeding costs, and the ACA put cuts in place as part of provisions to curb Medicare spending.