2008 LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES FOR HOME CARE AND HOSPICE

• Summary document

ENSURE APPROPRIATE AND ADEQUATE REIMBURSEMENT FOR AND ACCESS TO HOME HEALTH SERVICES:

• Ensure Full Market Basket Update for Home Health Payments
• Reinstate and Make Permanent the Add-on for Services to Rural Patients
• Establish Processes for Modification of PPS Payment Rates and Case Mix Adjustments
• Establish Stability and Equity among Medicare Health Care Providers in the Application of the Wage Index
• Allow Nurse Practitioners, Physicians’ Assistants, and Other Non-physician Professionals to Certify Medicare Home Health Plans of Care
• Recognize Home Telehealth Interactions as Bona Fide Medicare Services

ENSURE APPROPRIATE AND ADEQUATE REIMBURSEMENT FOR HOSPICE SERVICES:

• Preserve the Full Market Basket Update for the Medicare Hospice Benefit
• Ensure Hospice Access for Rural Patients
• Preserve the Budget Neutrality Adjustment to the Hospice Wage Index

PROTECT AND EXPAND ACCESS TO HOME AND COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICES UNDER MEDICAID:

• Ensure Appropriate Medicaid Rates for Home Care and Hospice
• Support Rebalancing of Long Term Care Expenditures in State Medicaid Programs in Favor of Home Care
• Support Increase in the Federal Medicaid Match (FMAP) and Oppose Caps on Federal Payments

PROTECT PATIENT AND PROVIDER RIGHTS UNDER MEDICARE ADVANTAGE:

• Require Medicare Advantage Plans to Provide a Home Health Benefit Fully Equivalent to Original Medicare
• Provide Access to Medicare Advantage Enrollment Information/Establish Provider “Hold Harmless”
• Limit Medicare Advantage Plan Reimbursement to the Cost of Care and Traditional Medicare

NAHC’S GRASSROOTS CAMPAIGN TO ENSURE ADEQUATE AND APPROPRIATE PAYMENT FOR HOME HEALTH & HOSPICE SERVICES

• Background Documents For NAHC’s Grassroots Campaign
• Home Health Action Alert - House and Senate
  • Fact Sheets
  • Impact Data:
    • State Medicare Home Health Projected Losses from the President’s Fiscal Year 2009 Proposed Budget
    • Percent of Home Health Agencies, By State, with NEGATIVE Margins in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 if the 5-year Market Basket Freeze and CMS Case Mix Adjustment were Implemented
• Hospice Action Alert - House and Senate
  • Fact Sheets
  • Impact Data:
    • State-by-State Projected Losses in the Medicare Hospice Program as Proposed by the President’s Fiscal Year 2009 Budget