"Home health has become an increasingly important part of our health care system," Senator Collins said. "The kinds of highly skilled health care services that our nation's home health caregivers provide have enabled millions of our most frail and vulnerable seniors and disabled citizens to receive care in the comfort, security and privacy of their own homes. If the extra rural payment is not extended, agencies may be forced to make decisions to simply not accept rural patients with greater care needs. The legislation introduced today will ensure that rural patients will continue to receive quality home health care."
"This legislation will ensure that Medicare beneficiaries who qualify for home health services, regardless of where they live, have real access to those services," said Senator Feingold. "The availability of home health services is integral to preserving independence, dignity and hope for many beneficiaries. We owe it to seniors to ensure that, where there is a choice, they can choose home health care."
Studies have shown that the delivery of home health services in rural areas can be as much as 12 to 15 percent more costly because of the extra travel time required to cover long distances between patients, higher transportation expenses, and other factors.
To help compensate for higher rural costs, Medicare currently provides for an additional 5 percent payment for rural areas. These payments are set to expire April 1, 2005, unless Congress acts. This legislation will extend these payments for an additional two years, ensuring that Medicare patients in rural areas will continue to have access to the home health services they need.
Senators Collins and Feingold are both members of the Senate Special Committee on Aging.
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