[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 19]
[House]
[Page 25595]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




        CONCERNS REGARDING FUNDING FOR HOME HEALTH CARE AGENCIES

  (Mr. MICHAUD asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. MICHAUD. Madam Speaker, I rise today to address concerns I have 
with the cuts in home health care agencies in the reform package. I 
applaud the hard work that has gone into crafting this legislation; 
however, I want to make sure that home health care services for our 
seniors are not interrupted in our efforts to target waste, fraud, and 
abuse in the Medicare system.
  Home health care agencies, for example, are one of the most cost-
effective ways to provide health care, especially in rural areas. In 
Maine, 86 percent of the home health care agencies will be operating in 
the red if we pass the cuts in the bill.
  It is crucial that we address these cuts in a way that promotes 
efficient, high quality care, but does not put the access to health 
care in rural areas at risk. I am hopeful that we will be able to make 
this legislation better and provide quality, affordable health care to 
all Americans, so that Maine's seniors and home health care agencies in 
Maine will not be faced with an 86 percent cut in Medicare 
reimbursements that will force them to operate in the red.

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