House draft bill would mean radical payment changes for agencies

NAHC suggests moratorium, outlier cap and P4P change

A draft health care reform bill by top House Democrats is more evidence that HHAs are headed for landmark changes in how Medicare pays them.

The draft bill, which adopts recommendations by the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, calls for new care-coordination roles for referring physicians, hospitals and HHAs along with a bundled payment for post-acute care.

The bill also calls for 5.5% net reduction in 2010 reimbursement rates, followed by potentially more cuts and yet another rebasing of home health rates as soon as 2011, according to the June 19 announcement by chairmen of the House Ways & Means, Energy & Commerce and Education & Labor Energy committees.

The bundled payments to post-acute providers would "put our industry in jeopardy," believes Barbara McCann, chief clinical officer of multi-state Interim HealthCare, headquartered in Sunrise, Fla.

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