[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 71 (Thursday, May 17, 2012)]
[House]
[Page H2825]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         OLDER AMERICANS MONTH

  (Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today in 
honor of Older Americans Month. And I want to address an issue that is 
incredibly important to seniors, that is, caring for seniors with 
chronic illness and preventing unnecessary hospitalizations.
  Madam Speaker, skilled home care providers in my district deliver 
high-quality and clinically effective care. Such care enables seniors 
to stay in their homes, rather than costing us by putting them out of 
their homes and into nursing homes. Unfortunately, a narrow sliver of 
operators within the Medicare home health program are tarnishing the 
good work of these dedicated, compassionate, and skilled professionals.
  MedPAC has found that a small number of criminals in just 25 counties 
are ripping off Medicare beneficiaries and taxpayers. Since we know the 
source of this abuse, it makes the most sense to isolate it and go 
after it, rather than indiscriminately cutting payments to thousands of 
home care providers that do the right thing by seniors and taxpayers.
  So let's reform the way we do this. Let's not cut off the people who 
do good work.

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