August 18, 2021
The Choose Home Care Act: A New Option for Medicare Beneficiaries
Recently, the Choose Home Care Act (S. 2562), a bipartisan bill to allow more American seniors to come home safely after hospitalization, was introduced by Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Todd Young (R-IN). This important legislation would ensure that Medicare beneficiaries have increased access to care at home following hospitalization—a needed policy change that would strengthen and modernize Medicare.
If enacted, the Choose Home Care Act would enable Medicare beneficiaries to receive extended care services as an add-on to the existing Medicare Home Health benefit for 30 days post-discharge. This means more seriously ill seniors could recover safely in the comfort of their own home, increasing patient and family satisfaction, and significantly reducing the risk of COVID-19 exposure.
The Choose Home Care Act would also promote significant cost saving to the Medicare program – and American taxpayers. As much as $247 million in annual savings could be generated by offering skilled nursing, therapy, primary care, personal care, continuous remote patient monitoring, meals, home adaptations, and non-emergent transportation in the home.
In the home health community, we know there is a better way to care for seriously ill Medicare beneficiaries after being discharged from the hospital — and your Senators need to hear from you about this critical legislation!