Senators ask CMS to work with home health agencies and providers before implementing payment rule

Senators have joined home health providers in asking the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to delay the agency’s proposed rule on home health payment until stakeholders can analyze and understand the impact of the proposed changes.

Forty-nine Senators signed a Sept. 26 letter to Tom Price, secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, and Seema Verma, administrator for CMS.

The comment deadline on the proposed rule was Sept. 25.

The Senators said that while they support efficiencies in Medicare, it should be done in a manner that doesn’t compromise access to care for seniors.

The Partnership for Quality Home Healthcare, a coalition of home health providers, said it applauded the bipartisan support among Senators led by Republican Marco Rubio and Democrat Bill Nelson, both of Florida.

“While we are extremely concerned about the impact HHGM would have on the delivery of home health and strongly urge withdrawal of the proposal, we are also optimistic about our ability to find a solution if sufficient time is provided for us to work collaboratively with CMS on a payment approach that protects patient access to care and supports better efficiencies within the home health benefit,” said Keith Myers, chairman of the Partnership for Quality Home Healthcare.

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