From the latest on the Durable Medical Equipment Prosthetics Orthotics and Supplies Competitive Bidding changes, to the Patient-Driven Groupings Model, to legislation affecting how providers do business, HomeCare is here to keep you informed. Find news and articles from our experts to guide you as you navigate the policies that affect your business.
WASHINGTON—A White House fact sheet highlighted the Biden-Harris Administration's plans for building on the progress of investments in homecare and long-term care.
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Tom Carper (D-DE), John Cornyn (R-TX), Mark Warner (D-VA), Tim Scott (R-SC) and Bob Menendez (D-NJ), members of the Senate Duals Working Group, introduced the Delivering Unified Access to Lifesaving Services (DUALS) Act of 2024 to improve coverage for individuals jointly enrolled in Medicare and Medicaid, also known as dual eligibles.
The DUALS Act of 2024:
WASHINGTON—During a Ways & Means Committee hearing that examined opportunities and challenges in enhancing access to care in patients’ homes and modernizing care in rural and underserved communities, U.S. Rep.
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), member of the Senate Committee on Aging, and U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), chair of the Senate Committee on Aging, introduced the Strategic Plan for Aging Act, a landmark bill that would create a new, nationwide grant program under the Older Americans Act (OAA) to incentivize and support states’ efforts to create their own strategic plans for aging.
WASHINGTON—On Sunday, congressional leaders announced an agreement for a narrow health care package as part of appropriations legislation. The package does not include provisions to extend 75/25 Medicare blended rates for durable medical equipment (DME) in nonrural areas. These measures are part of appropriations language set for consideration by March 8.
WASHINGTON—AAHomecare’s lobbying team and other home medical equipment (HME) stakeholders remain engaged in advocating for including extended 75/25 blended-rate relief among health care provisions in government spending packages needed in advance of March 1 and March 8 funding deadlines. HHS funding is subject to the March 8 deadline.
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Tom Carper (D-DE) introduced the At Home Observation and Medical Evaluation (HOME) Services Act to establish a hospital-at-home pilot program that would test expanding the acute hospital-at-home program to include observation status patients.
WASHINGTON—AARP applauded the reintroduction of the Credit for Caring Act, bipartisan legislation that would provide up to a $5,000 nonrefundable federal tax credit for working family caregivers who routinely cut back on their own health care or dip into their savings each year.
WASHINGTON—The House of Representatives passed a short-term spending bill Thursday, Jan. 18 to keep the government funded until the beginning of March, buying lawmakers more time to finish the formal appropriations process.
WASHINGTON—U.S. Sens. Mark R.
The American Association for Homecare (AAHomecare) released updates on state-related Medicaid policies and reimbursement rate increases.
Virginia Medicaid durable medical equipment (DME) policy was updated on Jan. 1 to include several revisions sought by industry advocates. Key changes include:
KENTUCKY—A class action lawsuit filed in Kentucky on Tuesday, Dec. 12 alleged that Humana illegally used artificial intelligence (AI) to deny patients care owed to them under their Medicare Advantage (MA) Plans.
COLUMBIA, South Carolina—A U.S. Department of Labor investigation has recovered $139,975 in back wages from a Spartanburg home healthcare provider that wrongly exempted 29 employees from overtime and failed to pay them proper wages in violation of federal regulations.
WASHINGTON—Two priority home medical equipment (HME) bills will be considered by the Health Subcommittee of the House Energy & Commerce Committee on Wednesday, Nov. 15:
WASHINGTON—Nearly 100 home medical equipment (HME) advocates will be meeting screen-to-screen with members of Congress and staff to build support for Medicare reimbursement relief legislation on Monday’s special Virtual Hill Day (Nov. 13) with American Association for Homecare (AAHC). The follow-up session to AAHC's Sept. 20 virtual fly-in is focused on raising awareness and understanding the importance of including measures from S. 1294 and H.R.
WASHINGTON—Legislation was introduced Sept.
WASHINGTON—New legislation providing relief for suppliers across a broad range of patient segments was introduced by Reps. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa) and Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.).
WASHINGTON—The National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC), the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO), and NORC at the University of Chicago presented a Congressional briefing on new research that highlights the quality-of-life and cost savings value that the Medicare Hospice Benefit brings to pati
WATERLOO, Iowa—U.S. Representatives Judy Chu (D-CA) and Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA) have reintroduced the bipartisan H.R. 4779: Breast Cancer Patient Equity Act, which would provide Medicare coverage of custom breast prostheses to breast cancer survivors. Since most private insurance companies follow Medicare coverage standards, passage of this legislation would allow hundreds of thousands of women each year to choose a custom prosthesis after a mastectomy.
BOSTON—Senator Edward J.
Due to labor shortages, veterans in Florida, Alabama and across the country are struggling to find at-home health care providers. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has chosen to exclude nurse registries in the Community Care Network (CCN), which would qualify these caregivers for reimbursement. The VA’s arbitrary decision to exclude nurse registries only exacerbates the existing labor shortage in this critical field.
