MedPAC to address home care recommendations this week

WASHINGTON The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) will meet later this week to consider what recommendations it should propose to Congress later this year. Following MedPAC’s meeting on Friday, the Commission will submit recommendations in its March Report to Congress. The proposals put forth by MedPAC could have a major impact on the home care industry.

The Commission may recommend several major changes in the area of home care, including co-pays on home care visits, review and approval of an independent case manager for ongoing home care services, changes that narrow the scope of available home care services, and a more narrow homebound definition.

Many of these proposals have remained substantively unchanged over recent years, NAHC President Val Halaman daris wrote MedPAC Chair Gail Wilensky following the commission’s meeting last month, despite the fact that IPS and other measures have had a major impact on home care.