Reps. Terri Sewell and Adrian Smith introduce bipartisan legislation to protect access to home health care services
Congressmembers Terri Sewell (D-AL07) and Adrian Smith (R-Nebraska) introduced the Preserving Access to Home Health Act of 2023. This bipartisan legislation would help preserve access to home health services for seniors and Americans with disabilities by 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,” said Rep. Sewell. “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.” “Home health can lower the cost of care for patients and help hospitals to safely transition patients back to home living,” said Rep. Smith. “I have serious concerns these planned cuts to Medicare would result in worse outcomes for seniors and higher costs burdens in the long run. This bill would halt the counterproductive payment cuts and increase transparency in Medicare payment policy calculations. I thank my Senate colleagues and Rep. Sewell for their collaboration on this bill.” Approximately 3.5 million Medicare beneficiaries receive home health care services. This allows them to be treated in the cost-effective setting they prefer most—their homes. Home health services are a lifeline for seniors, people with disabilities, and those with limited mobility, and it became even more essential during the COVID-19 public health emergency. In June, Medicare announced plans to implement 9.36% cuts to its home healthcare program starting in 2024. This follows a 3.9% cut that began going into effect in 2023. These new cuts could total up to $20 billion over the next ten years, making it harder for patients to leave the hospital and go home with care that helps them recover and rehabilitate. 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. Joanne Cunningham is the CEO of the Partnership for Quality Home Healthcare. “Patients leaving the hospital need a smooth transition home, but are finding it increasingly difficult to find Medicare home health providers, signaling an immediate need for Congress to intervene and block Medicare from making such strident cuts to home health again this year,” said CEO Cunningham. “Data suggest that Medicare’s continued cuts to home health are restricting patient access to the safest and lowest-cost care setting following a hospital stay.” William A. Dombi is the President of the National Association for Home Care & Hospice. “The Medicare home health community strongly supports this legislation and thanks Representatives Sewell and Smith for their leadership on a Medicare issue that truly threatens access to care for the more than 3 million beneficiaries who rely on this care,” said President Dombi. “The home health community calls on Congress to ensure the stability that patients and providers urgently need. Since Medicare has again proposed deep cuts to home health in 2024, Congress must act to protect the care their constituents prefer and want.” Barbara Jacobsmeyer is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Enhabit Home Health & Hospice. “We commend Congresswoman Sewell for her commitment to home health and for leading this bipartisan legislation to help ensure Medicare’s invaluable home health care services are available when patients need them most,” said President Jacobsmeyer. “Congresswoman Sewell has been a true champion for home health issues during her time in Congress, and she understands how home health helps patients and families transition from hospital to home with compassionate, patient-centered care. Whether patients are recovering from surgery or managing a chronic illness or recent injury, Medicare home health is an essential part of the care continuum. We are grateful for the support from the Congresswoman and look forward to working with others in Congress to help protect Medicare’s home health benefit.” Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-Michigan) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) introduced companion legislation in the U.S. Senate on June 22. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) says that home health agency payments have exceeded projections every year since 2020 when it implemented a new home health payment system, the Patient Driven Groupings Model (PDGM). CMS sets home health payment and operational rules annually. The agency says it made the cuts to comply with a federal budget-neutrality mandate. Sewell is in her Seventh term representing Alabama’s Seventh Congressional District. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Democrats may change Senate rules over Tommy Tuberville’s hold on promotions
The Hill’s Alexander Bolton reported on Tuesday that Senate Democrats may look at rules changes to break through the blockade U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville has put in place against more than 200 military promotions to protest the Pentagon’s abortion policy. Democrats accuse Tuberville of abusing the Senate rules by keeping his hold on Joe Biden’s military promotions in place since February. “We need to talk about changing rules that Republicans have learned to exploit. We can’t continue in a world where one senator puts our entire national defense at risk because he doesn’t like one policy followed by the Department of Defense,” said Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. Warren says that she has repeatedly asked for unanimous consent to advance Biden’s nonpolitical military promotions only to be blocked by Tuberville. “Sen. Tuberville’s hold is just another indication of the madness that seems to have seized extremists in the Republican Party,” she said. “I don’t think one person should be able to hold up the promotions and lives of everybody in the military or any other part of government,” said Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Michigan), the chairwoman of the Senate Democratic Policy and Communications Committee. “The Senator from Alabama’s actions are not just the usual back and forth in Washington. His holds pose a grave threat to our national security and our military readiness,” Warren said in a floor speech on June 1. “They actively hurt our ability to respond quickly to threats worldwide. That is not my conclusion. That is the conclusion of the Secretary of Defense.” President Joe Biden brought up Sen. Tuberville’s hold on military promotions without mentioning the Senator by name in comments at an event on Monday. “Because the military said if you’re in the military and you’re having a troubled pregnancy, and you’re in a state where you’re not allowed to see the doctor performing any remedial operation on you, then you can get paid – you can have leave to go to where you can do that,” Biden said. “I know I don’t look like I’ve been around, but I’ve been around a long time. There’s so many things of consequence that we can solve. And the vast majority of people, all the data shows, support the positions we’re generically taken.” On Thursday, Tuberville said that he is not backing down. “This is the ninth time that Democrats have come to the floor to try to break my hold on the Department of Defense’s nominees,” said Tuberville. “This is the ninth time that I’ve come to the floor to keep my word. Since the last time we did this, nothing has changed. And so, my hold will remain in place.” Tuberville continued, “Yesterday, the White House Press Secretary was asked why they haven’t reached out to me at all. She said, “I do not know when the last time is they talked to the senator.” I’ll tell you when the last time was — never. The White House has not reached out once in four months. No one has contacted me. There has not been one conversation, no path forward. I have spoken to Secretary (Lloyd) Austin, outside of Armed Services hearings, exactly once in the last two years. That was a 10-minute phone call — three months ago. He made absolutely no effort to find a compromise in our situation.” “Many of the claims made about me have been completely false. Many of them,” said Tuberville. “This is no way to negotiate with a colleague — especially in this body, the United States Senate. Frankly, this kind of behavior from the Democrats just steels my resolve. The more false claims the Democrats make about me, the more inclined I am to keep the holds in place.” “But I would note that just yesterday, a news story reported correctly that these military positions are being fulfilled by acting officials,” stated Tuberville. “These jobs are being done right now. They’re not empty. Four months into this situation that is obvious that people are doing the job. It is not affecting readiness. Anyone who says otherwise is wrong.” “I will keep my hold until the Pentagon follows the law [or] Congress changes the law,” vowed Tuberville. “That’s the way we do it here in the Senate. A ‘show vote’ in committee is not good enough. We can do that all we want. It’s not going to make any difference. An amendment that gets stripped out on the floor by Senator [Chuck] Schumer is not good enough. What I have said from the beginning: either follow the law or change it. Follow the law that we have made in this body, or change the law.” It is far from certain that Democrats have the votes to change the Senate rules, as any proposed rule change on this would dramatically decrease the power of every individual senator – of both parties. This slowdown of routine Senate business could be getting worse. Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) is following Tuberville’s example when he declared last week that he will put a hold on all nominees to the Justice Department over the prosecution of former President Donald Trump. “Donald Trump is merely the latest victim of a Department of Justice that cares more about politics than law enforcement,” Vance said in a statement. “Merrick Garland’s department harasses Christians for pro-life advocacy but allows hardened criminals to walk our streets unpunished. This must stop, and I will do everything in my ability to ensure it does. Starting today, I will hold all Department of Justice nominations. If Merrick Garland wants to use these officials to harass Joe Biden’s political opponents, we will grind his department to a halt.” To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Dems look to Michigan primary as testing ground for November
Both Democratic candidates have a lot riding on Michigan, especially Bernie Sanders.
Dems force delays in votes on Jeff Sessions, Steve Mnuchin, Tom Price
Democrats forced delays Tuesday in planned Senate committee votes on President Donald Trump‘s picks for Health and Treasury secretaries and attorney general, amid growing Democratic surliness over the administration’s aggressive early moves against refugees and an expected bitter battle over filling the Supreme Court vacancy. Democrats abruptly boycotted a Senate Finance Committee meeting called to vote on Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga., the Health nominee and Steve Mnuchin, Trump’s Treasury selection, saying both had misled Congress about their financial backgrounds. The Democrats’ action prevented the Finance panel from acting because under committee rules, 13 of its members — including at least one Democrat — must be present for votes. It was unclear when the panel would reschedule to votes. At the Senate Judiciary Committee, a meeting considering Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., to be attorney general lasted so long — chiefly because of lengthy Democratic speeches — that Chairman Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, said the panel would meet again Wednesday. The meeting on Sessions’ nomination was coming with Democrats and demonstrators around the country in an uproar over Trump’s executive order temporarily blocking refugees. Even some Republicans were warning it could hinder anti-terrorism efforts. Not everything ground to a halt. The Senate education committee voted 12-11 to send Trump’s pick to head the Education Department, Betsy DeVos, to the full Senate for a confirmation vote. The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee quickly approved former Texas Gov. Rick Perry as Energy secretary by 16-7, and Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Mont., to head Interior by 16-6. And the full Senate easily confirmed Elaine Chao to become transportation secretary by a 93-6 vote. Chao was labor secretary under President George W. Bush, and is wife of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. Just before the Finance committee was scheduled to vote on Price and Mnuchin, Democrats called a briefing for reporters and announced their plan to force a delay. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., said Price and Mnuchin would hold positions “that directly affect peoples’ lives every day. The truth matters.” Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, accused Democrats of “a lack of desire to fulfill their constitutional responsibilities.” “They ought to stop posturing and acting like idiots,” he said. In 2013 when Democrats controlled the Senate, Republicans boycotted a committee vote on Gina McCarthy to head the Environmental Protection Agency, temporarily stalling it. Democrats cited one report in The Wall Street Journal that Price received a special, discounted offer to buy stock in a biomedical company, which contradicted his testimony to Congress. They said another report in The Columbus Dispatch showed documents revealing that Mnuchin had not been truthful with the Senate in the confirmation process in comments about how his bank OneWest had handled home foreclosures. Republicans have supported both men, and both have strongly defended their actions. Democrats have opposed Price, a seven-term congressional veteran, for his staunch backing of his party’s drive to scuttle Obama’s health care law and to reshape Medicare and Medicaid, which help older and low-income people afford medical care. They’ve also assailed Price for buying stocks of health care firms, accusing him of using insider information and conflicts of interest for backing legislation that could help his investments. Price says his trades were largely managed by brokers and that he’s followed congressional ethics rules. Democrats have criticized Mnuchin for not initially revealing nearly $100 million in assets, and were expected to vote against both nominees. They’ve also accused him of failing to protect homeowners from foreclosures and criticized him for not initially disclosing all his assets. DeVos, a wealthy GOP donor and conservative activist, has long supported charter schools and allowing school choice. That’s prompted opposition from Democrats and teachers’ unions who view her stance as a threat to federal dollars that support public education. Critics have also mocked her for suggesting that guns could be justified in schools to protect students from grizzly bears. Two prominent Republicans on the education committee, Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, said they remained uncertain if they will vote for her on the Senate floor. Murkowski said DeVos has yet to prove that she deeply cares about America’s struggling schools and its children. Republished with permission of the Associated Press.
