Date: 8/1/2003

What You Can Do During Congress' August Recess

With Congress out of Washington and in their congressional districts for the full month of August, it is a prime opportunity for you, your staff, your patients, and your patients' families to make contact with your elected officials and urge them to oppose the home health copay and any further cuts in the Medicare home health benefit. Members of Congress are saying they don't hear from patients and their families about home health, so getting your patients and their families to weigh in on these issues is particularly important. NAHC has put together the following guide to help you with your lobbying efforts. The key is to be persistent, firm, and to the point; provide evidence from your own experience (when possible); and be knowledgeable of the talking points so you can advocate effectively and anticipate any counter arguments.

A Video Message from NAHC President Val J. Halamandaris

2003 Background Materials for Grassroots Activity During the August Congressional Recess

Action Alert

• Overview document on August recess grassroots action
• Members of the joint House-Senate conference committee ("Attachment A") — PDF document, 96K
• Side-by-side comparison of House (HR 1) and Senate (S 1) bills with NAHC position (Available to NAHC members only — PDF document, 472K)
• Template: Home Health "Poster Provider" ("Attachment B") — Helps agencies organize their financial information for presentation to their members of Congress. PDF document, 60K
• Template: Home Health "Poster Patient" ("Attachment C") — Helps agencies identify and quantify patient-specific out-of-pocket health care costs expended prior to receiving home care. PDF document, 60K
• Sample letter to Representatives and Senators — Microsoft Word document, 28K
• Sample letter to House-Senate conference committee members — This is an example of a letter sent by a coalition of Tennessee providers to Senator Bill Frist (R-TN). PDF document, 72K

Home Care Margins: A NAHC Analysis

• Seeking Stability in the Medicare Home Care Benefit: Margins Evaporate; Agencies in Financial Jeopardy ("Attachment D") — PDF document, 428K
• Muse & Associates report on NAHC's analysis ("Attachment D") — PDF document, 124K

Talking Points

• Oppose copays for Medicare home health services — PDF document, 16K
• Preserve the full market basket update for Medicare home health — PDF document, 108K
• Maintain the rural add-on for home health services in rural areas — PDF document, 76K
• Criminal background checks — PDF document, 112K

Budget Analysis and Home Care Cuts

• Projected share of Medicare program by provider (CMS and President's budget numbers) — Microsoft Excel document, 32K
• BBA Budget Cuts: A Comparative Analysis of Impact on Medicare Providers — PDF document, 48K
• Congressional Budget Office: Home Health Budget Analysis—Home health reductions $198 billion between fiscal year 1998 and fiscal year 2007 — PDF document, 84K

Contacting Your Members of Congress

• Is your Senator or Representative on the conference committee? — PDF document, 96K

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