Election-Year Priorities Include Medical Oxygen Policy, Hobson-Tanner, Preventing HHA Freeze, USA

Main Category: Caregivers / Homecare
Also Included In: Public Health
Article Date: 20 Apr 2006 - 0:00 PDT

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American Association for Homecare (AAHomecare) continues to press for stronger homecare policy in several areas including the Hobson-Tanner bill (H.R. 3559), improved medical oxygen policy, home health reimbursement, and the wider recognition of cost-effectiveness of homecare in Medicare.

AAHomecare continues to encourage cosponsors to sign on to the Hobson-Tanner bill to amend the durable medical equipment competitive acquisition program mandated by the Medicare Modernization Act to ensure that quality standards are in place, rural patients maintain access to care, and small providers be allowed to participate if they meet the bid requirements.

The Association also opposes the recent changes enacted in the Deficit Reduction Act affecting oxygen. By shifting oxygen equipment to a rent-to-purchase model, the new policy, in effect, severs the relationship between provider and patient, which presents serious clinical and patient-safety issues.

The President's FY 2007 budget proposal would exacerbate the oxygen policy by requiring transfer title of oxygen equipment to the beneficiary after 13 months. The proposed budget would also freeze the home health payment rate, again.

American Association for Homecare
625 Slaters Lane, Suite 200
Alexandria, VA 22314-1171 703-535-1881
http://www.aahomecare.org

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