Home Health Industry Readies Legal Challenge Against Medicare Payment Cuts
Congressional Leaders Push Back Against Proposed Medicare Cuts for Home Health Services
According to Bloomberg Law, the home health industry is preparing for a new legal fight and lobbying efforts following another proposed Medicare payment cut causing worry among providers and advocates. The National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC) plans to restart a lawsuit against Medicare’s payment rules which have consistently lowered reimbursements since 2020. Their first lawsuit was dismissed by the court due to procedural issues. NAHC will go through all administrative steps before going back to court to try to stop a 1.7% payment cut set for 2025 which could amount to $280 million.
At the same time leaders in the industry are gathering support in Congress to block the proposed cuts and change how CMS can adjust payments based on assumptions about how providers behave. Critics say these cuts will make existing problems worse like not having enough workers and the high costs of running home health services which could make it hard for older people to get the care they need. Senators Debbie Stabenow and Susan Collins have introduced a law together to fight the proposed payment cuts showing both political parties are worried about how long Medicare can keep paying for home health care.
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1.7% Payment Cut Looms: Home Health Industry Prepares for New Legal Fight, Lobbying Efforts Amid $280M Concerns! (PHOTO: Modern Healthcare)
Debates Over Medicare Funding and Home Health Care Accessibility Intensify
This issue shows bigger arguments about if Medicare has enough money and if it pays enough for home health agencies. Even though the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission said payments should go down because they’re too high people in the industry say current ideas don’t understand how hard and expensive it is to give good home health care. As people in the industry work harder on both legal and government ideas what happens will change how Medicare pays for home health services and how easy it is for people in the U.S. to get the care they need at home.
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