"A home health copayment would have imposed a significant additional burden on those beneficiaries who can least afford it and it would create a slippery slope to even higher copayments in the future," wrote Senator Collins in a letter to leaders of the negotiations.
At the same time, however, negotiators are calling for a decrease in the rate at which Medicare reimburses home health care providers. Senator Collins said this decrease could jeopardize the availability of home health care, particularly in some rural areas.
Following today's tentative agreement on the Medicare bill, Senator Collins released the following statement:
"I am encouraged and pleased by the tentative agreement that would allow seniors all over the nation to continue to access home health care without a copayment, which many of our elderly and disabled citizens simply cannot afford. This was very positive news for low-income seniors, in particular.
"I am, however, concerned about the possibility that home health care, especially in rural communities, could be jeopardized by a decrease in Medicare reimbursement rates. The Senate version of the Medicare bill included an amendment which I coauthored, that would increase these payments. I will continue to support the Senate's version on this issue and encourage negotiators to work to increase these payments in the final version of this important legislation."