Walden bill seeks to ease access to home health services

Reps. Greg Walden (R-Ore.) and Allyson Schwartz (D-Pa.) recently introduced a bill that would ensure seniors and disabled citizens have access to home health services under Medicare.

The proposed bill, named the Home Health Care Planning Improvement Act of 2012, has 19 cosponsors. It would allow physician assistants, nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists and certified nurse midwives to order home health services for Medicare beneficiaries.

“Particularly in rural areas like central, southern and eastern Oregon where physicians are scarce, these clinicians play an increasingly important role in the delivery of primary health care services,” Walden said. “Not only are they serving on the front lines of primary care, but also in many areas they are the only option readily available.”

Medicare currently recognizes physician assistants, nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists and midwives as authorized providers who are able to perform many services for Medicare beneficiaries, including ordering nursing home care and prescribing medicine. The medical professionals, however, are unable to order less costly and less intrusive home health care services.

A recent study conducted by the National Association for Home Care & Hospice and the American Nurses Association revealed the legislation would save more than $100 million over ten years.