[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 69 (Thursday, May 16, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E677]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     IMPORTANCE OF HOME HEALTHCARE

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                           HON. TODD C. YOUNG

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 16, 2013

  Mr. YOUNG of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I rise to address the value of 
home healthcare to the people of Indiana's Ninth Congressional 
District. In addition to being a preferred place for care for most 
eligible seniors, home health consistently offers seniors the lowest 
cost venue. In Indiana alone, over 61,000 Medicare beneficiaries 
receive home health services from more than 8,000 Hoosiers who provide 
their care. Home health services, properly regulated, need to be 
encouraged rather than discouraged, to fulfill their mission of quality 
care for America's seniors and greater value for our Medicare program.
   I appreciate the home health care community's efforts to develop 
their own proposal to weed out bad actors in their industry. One 
proposal that might save money within Medicare would place reasonable 
per-provider limitations on 60-day episodes of homecare. Such 
limitations aim to ensure beneficiary access to care and stop abusive 
billing practices that appear to exist in a small number of counties 
nationwide. MedPAC's March Report to Congress referenced 25 counties in 
the nation where a reasonable reduction in homecare utilization with an 
episode limit could achieve up to $1 billion in savings per year.
   A reasonable but stable reimbursement environment is necessary for 
homecare providers to continue accomplishing their mission. Since 2010, 
the homecare industry has been subjected to nearly $70 billion in 
reimbursement cuts, 21% of their total funding. I have said time and 
again that our Medicare system needs broad reform to make it 
sustainable for future generations. We cannot continue to impose cut 
after cut on our providers and expect to fix the system without 
shifting more of the financial burden to our senior population or 
harming patient care. Working together to implement creative reforms 
like this, we will ensure that this valuable service continues to 
improve the lives of our seniors in their homes in Indiana and across 
the nation.

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