NAHC Announces Second March on Washington, Ethics and Compliance Summit and Chronic Care Management Summit -- May 13–15, 2009

Background
The Obama Administration has proposed a $13 billion cut to the $16 billion annual home health benefit.  This would be accomplished by depriving the industry of the statutorily mandated cost of living increase that we automatically receive and making other changes to home health payments.  The National Association for Home Care & Hospice’s Board, membership, and Strategic Planning Congress has set as top priorities for 2009 doing everything possible to prevent these draconian cuts in the Medicare home health benefit. At the same time, NAHC and its members are committed to bringing about the enactment of physician-ordered and home care-administrated chronic disease management, as well as to increase the access to and availability of telehealth and other home care-based technology.

NAHC held a highly successful March on Washington and Legal Symposium in March, and a great deal of support for home care and hospice was expressed by members of the Senate and House.  Nearly 50,000 messages have been sent to the House and Senate in recent weeks from the home care and hospice community objecting to the proposed cuts. We achieved our first victory in the form of House and Senate budget resolutions that did not include references to cutting home health.  However, in the coming weeks authorizing committees in the House and Senate will be working intensely on health care reform legislation.  Because of the level of funds needed for health reform, the home health benefit remains at risk.  It is vital that key stakeholders in home care make their voices heard once more.  For this reason, NAHC is scheduling a second March on Washington for May 13 and 14, 2009. 

Registration and Hotel information is now available!