Roskam, Burgess reintroduce bill to extend in-home care demonstration program for high-need Medicare beneficiaries

A demonstration program that enables Medicare beneficiaries with numerous chronic conditions to receive home-based primary care would be extended under legislation recently reintroduced by U.S. Reps. Peter Roskam (R-IL) and Michael Burgess (R-TX).

The Independence at Home (IAH) Medical Practice Demonstration Program, which was established in 2010 to help high-need Medicare beneficiaries avoid hospitalizations, emergency room visits and nursing home admissions, would be extended from five to seven years under H.R. 3263.

“My constituent, Dr. Thomas Cornwell, who has long been a champion for bringing primary care to seniors in the comfort of their own homes, brought this important demonstration program to my attention,” Roskam said. “In fact, since founding his homecare practice in 1997, Dr. Cornwell has personally made over 30,000 house calls. These services ensure Americans have convenient access to the care they need and save taxpayer dollars.”

In its first year alone, the IAH demonstration program resulted in $25 million in savings and greater continuity of care for Medicare beneficiaries with multiple chronic conditions, which account for the majority of Medicare costs.

“The IAH demonstration focuses on reducing costs where they are the highest and improving care for those with the greatest need, all while protecting the viability of Medicare,” Roskam said. “I want to thank Dr. Cornwell for his tireless commitment to this important cause and inspiring me to advance this program.”

Cornwell, the CEO of the Home Centered Care Institute (HCCI) based in Schaumburg, Illinois, thanked Roskam for his leadership on the issue.

“I greatly appreciate Rep. Roskam’s years of support for home-based primary care and Independence at Home,” Cornwell said. “His efforts and this legislation in particular lead us down the path of better care for our most fragile elders while dramatically reducing health care costs. Rep. Roskam has also been particularly supportive of the Home Centered Care Institute that is training the workforce to provide this care for generations to come.”