Sewell announces Home Health Act

Published 6:35 am Tuesday, August 8, 2023

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U.S. Reps. Terri Sewell (AL-07) helped announce the Preserving Access to Home Health Act of 2023.

Alongside U.S. Rep. Adrian Smith (NE-03), the  bipartisan legislation will preserve access to home health services for seniors and Americans with disabilities,  preventing proposed cuts to home health payment rates from taking effect.

“Home health services are a lifeline for so many Alabama seniors and people with disabilities, allowing patients to receive the treatment they need in the comfort of their own homes,” Sewell said. “I am very concerned about the impact that proposed cuts to Medicare’s home health program would have on these patients and their families. It is imperative that we prevent such cuts from taking effect, which is why I’m introducing the Preserving Access to Home Health Act in the House of Representatives. I want to thank Rep. Smith for his collaboration in this bipartisan effort, and I urge my colleagues to join us.”

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The Preserving Access to Home Health Act would address the deep cuts made to home health that began this year and will continue until at least 2028. The legislation:

-Restricts CMS from making any cuts to home health.

-Requires MedPAC, which advises Congress on payment policy, to gain a full understanding of the economics of the home healthcare system, including how the Medicare program, the Medicaid program, and the Medicare Advantage program all contribute to a system.