David Emberley: Preserving Access to Home Health Act keeps funds for vital care

To The Daily Sun,

As a member of the home health care community, I am writing you today in support of the Preserving Access to Home Health Act of 2022 (S 4605, HR 8581).

On June 17, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services proposed to cut rates for Medicare home health services in 2023 by an unprecedented, permanent 7.69% ($1.33 billion in 2023 alone). CMS seeks to impose an additional $2 billion in cuts as soon as 2024.

The cumulative impact of these cuts is billions of dollars carved out of the Medicare home health program as providers are already facing significant challenges due to the pandemic, threatening patient care and access. Small, rural and medically underserved communities will be uniquely harmed.

Care in the home is the safer and most preferred choice for our seniors and people with disabilities. Polling shows an overwhelming preference for care in the home: 94% of Medicare beneficiaries say they would prefer to receive post-hospital care at home.

Reducing payments to home health threatens access to vital care in the home. As a result, the overall costs of care will go up due to increased hospital readmission rates, unnecessary hospitalizations and increased use of short-term skilled nursing stays.

Home health care providers and caregivers have been hit hard by the impact of the pandemic. Additional payment cuts will exacerbate the workforce and inflation crisis. Home health agencies are burdened by high inflation rates of over 8%, as well as by increased fuel costs. This uniquely impacts home health care caregivers who drive to visit their patients.

The Preserving Access to Home Health Act of 2022 would prevent cuts to home health payment rates from taking effect prior to 2026.

David Emberley

Gilford