2009 LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES FOR HOME CARE AND HOSPICE

• Summary document

SECURE A STRATEGIC ROLE FOR HOME CARE IN ADDRESSING THE NATION'S CHRONIC CARE NEEDS:

• Establish a Chronic Care Management Benefit Under Medicare

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

• Ensure the Full Market Basket Update for Home Health Payments
• Reinstate and Make Permanent the Add-On for Services to Rural Patients; Ensure Care Access for Rural and Underserved Patients
• Establish Processes for Modification of PPS Payment Rates and Case-Mix Adjustments
• Establish Stability and Equity Among Medicare Health Care Providers in Application of the Wage Index
• Allow Nurse Practitioners (NPs), Physicians' Assistants (PAs) and other Non-Physician Professionals to Certify Medicare Home Health Plans of Care
• Recognize Home Telehealth Interactions as Bona Fide Medicare Services

ENURE APPROPRIATE AND ADEQUATE REIMBURSEMENT FOR HOSPICE SERVICES:

• Preserve the Full Market Basket Update for the Medicare Hospice Benefit
• Ensure Access to Care for Rural Patients
• Preserve the Budget Neutrality Adjustment Factor in the Medicare 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 an 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 a Provider "Hold Harmless"
• Limit Medicare Advantage Plan Reimbursement to the Cost of Care Under Traditional Medicare