In a letter to congressional leaders, HCAF urged Congress to suspend the implementation of the Medicare home health payment rule issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) that will reduce Medicare payments by $635 million in 2023 and trigger an estimated $18 billion in payment reductions over the next decade. More than 50 home care advocacy organizations across the country co-signed the letter, which was spearheaded by the National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC). Please see and download the full letter below.

For the government to remain open, Congress must pass a budget by December 16. As they did in September, lawmakers can pass a short-term spending bill to kick the can down the road. However, an omnibus spending bill with other measures tacked on is more likely, reports indicate.

As proposed in the Preserving Access to Home Health Act of 2022 (S.4605/H.R.8581), the home health industry is urging lawmakers to include language that prevents the Medicare final rule cuts from taking effect on January 1, 2023, so that CMS can work with the home health industry to review and assess its flawed methodology for calculating Medicare rates.

Please click here to take action on the HCAF Legislation Action Center and urge your Senators and Representatives to prevent devastating Medicare cuts in the year-end spending bill.

For additional information and resources, click here to access the Medicare Payment Rule Advocacy Center.