Partnership for Quality Home Healthcare Commends U.S. House for Extending Moratorium on Medicare Sequestration Cuts

Washington, D.C. –– The Partnership for Quality Home Healthcare – a coalition of home health leaders dedicated to developing innovative reforms to improve the program integrity, quality, and efficiency of Medicare home healthcare for our nation’s seniors – commends the U.S. House of Representatives for passing the Medicare Sequester Relief Act (Senate amendment to H.R. 1868) to extend the temporary moratorium on Medicare’s annual sequester cut to providers for the duration of the COVID-19 public health emergency. The U.S. Senate previously passed the measure (S. 748) by a sweeping 90-2 vote on March 25.

Congress temporarily suspended the annual 2% sequester cuts to Medicare providers in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, however that suspension expired on March 31. While the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is currently holding claims to allow congressional action, Medicare providers have urged lawmakers in Congress to act quickly to ensure these cuts do not take effect under the current constraints of the ongoing COVID-19 public health emergency.

“The Partnership applauds the U.S. House for passing sequestration relief and urges President Biden to promptly sign the bill into law to ensure providers continue to receive relief from these pending funding cuts,” said Joanne Cunningham, Executive Director of the Partnership. “While the COVID-19 crisis has underscored the value of care delivery in the home, providers continue to struggle with the impacts of the 4.36% PDGM payment cut that took effect in 2020 and again in 2021. The sequestration moratorium provided by Congress has been incredibly valuable to the home health sector due to the challenges of providing care during the PHE, coupled with the PDGM payment cuts this year and last. This continued relief will help stabilize the delivery of home health to Medicare’s most vulnerable seniors.”

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