[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 14 (Wednesday, January 28, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E133]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


  INTRODUCTION OF THE MEDICARE HOME INFUSION SITE OF CARE ACT OF 2015

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                         HON. PATRICK J. TIBERI

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, January 28, 2015

  Mr. TIBERI. Mr. Speaker, the Medicare Fee-for-Service program stands 
virtually alone among health care payers in the United States in not 
fully recognizing the clinical and cost benefits of providing infusion 
therapy to patients in their homes. Infusion therapy is fully covered 
by Medicare in hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, hospital 
outpatient departments, and physician offices, but coverage in 
patients' homes is very limited. As a result, Medicare beneficiaries in 
need of infusion therapy usually receive their treatments in health 
care facilities rather than in their homes, which is the setting that 
is the most desirable, convenient, and by far the most cost-effective.
  This is unfortunate and unnecessary. In the private sector, the 
accepted standard of care and practice for over 30 years is to provide 
infusion therapy at home where medically indicated and when requested 
by the attending physician. Ironically, patients who have access to 
this benefit under their private plans lose this coverage when they 
enroll in Medicare.
  Medicare's lack of coverage for infusion therapy in the home setting 
can lead to substantial patient and family lifestyle disruptions and 
costs. Because Medicare only covers infusion services in institutional 
and limited outpatient settings, the beneficiary either has to travel 
to a health care facility to receive infusion treatments, sometimes 
multiple times a day, or remain in a facility for the duration of the 
therapy.
  Today, Representative Eliot Engel and I are introducing The Medicare 
Home Infusion Site of Care Act of 2015 so patients can receive the same 
infusion treatments that they currently receive in facility-based 
environments in their homes at a lower cost to Medicare. Mr. Speaker, I 
urge all of my colleagues to support our bill to give patients better 
quality care at lower costs.

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