Quality Affordable Home Health & Hospice Care Save Taxpayers Billions
Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN Texas The home is fast becoming the center of health care among elderly disabled & medically frail Texans" said Anita Bradberry executive director of TAHC&H. The Texas Association for Home Care & Hospice (TAHC&H) members are meeting with the Texas Congressional delegation this week to highlight the benefits and value of home care and hospice for Texans and taxpayers.
Today millions of seniors and disabled Americans depend on home care services to recover from illnesses and injuries manage chronic conditions and remain healthy stable and out of costly facility settings" said TAHC&Hs Bradberry.
Home health care contributes to billions of dollars in taxpayer savings by preventing or reducing the use of more expensive institutional care options" Bradberry said.
Texas home care and hospice providers are joining members of the National Association for Home Care & Hospice in Washington March 25-28 to encourage federal lawmakers to protect and expand access to home care and hospice services for the elderly disabled medically frail and dying.
The visits come at a critical time for the industry when the Medicare home health benefit which was $17 billion in 2009 has been cut by $77 billion over the next 10 years. As a result of these cuts 49 percent of all Medicare participating agencies including more than 57 percent of Texas home health providers will be reimbursed less than the cost of care in 2012.
Yet home health and hospice are the most cost-effective methods of care for Medicare and Medicaid costing $44 on average per day for home health care compared to $559 per day in a typical nursing home and $1932 per day for a typical hospital stay.
The trip coincides with the Law Symposium Conference & Exposition which brings together the nations home care and hospice providers. The conference will address current hot topics in health care legislation regulatory issues technology home care private duty and hospice.
The conference will focus on key legislative priorities for 2012 including: secure the strategic role Congress intends for home care and hospice in addressing the nations acute chronic and long-term care needs; ensure appropriate and adequate reimbursement for and access to hospice services; and protect and expand access to home and community-based services under Medicaid.
Home care and hospice services provide significant benefits for patients their families and taxpayers" said Bradberry.
Our members are working closely with federal lawmakers to ensure future policy decisions protect access to quality and affordable home care and hospice services for Texans."
The Texas Association for Home Care & Hospice Inc. <http://www.tahch.org/> is a statewide nonprofit trade organization that advocates for ethical practices quality and economic viability of licensed providers in the Texas home and community support services. For more information visit.
