Arcuri Visits Upstate HomeCare; Time for Home State Visits

CLINTON, N.Y. — As the health care reform debate heats up
— and, it seems, slows down — HME leaders are urging
providers to contact their senators and representatives to make
sure they know how home care fits in.

The timing is critical as Congress prepares to break for its
August recess, creating an opportunity for providers to meet with
legislators in their home states. Comments from President Obama
last week focused attention on home care, so it’s a good time to
follow up with lawmakers, advocates say.

In a July 23 town hall meeting on health care reform in Shaker
Heights, Ohio, Obama noted Medicare reform was “not an exercise in
just cutting reimbursement rates. In fact, in some cases we may
need higher reimbursement rates for certain aspects. I actually
think home care ends up being cost-efficient in many cases rather
than institutional care, and it helps keep people in their
homes.”

Getting a jump on a home district visit, Upstate HomeCare
invited Rep. Michael Arcuri, D-N.Y., to visit during Congress’ July
4 recess to learn more about the business. Founded in 1985, Upstate
has six locations specializing in infusion, specialty medication,
respiratory, DME and, most recently, oral medication services.

Arcuri, a member of the Democrats’ Blue Dog Coalition, toured
the company’s Clinton, N.Y., facility July 1, talking to patients
about health care reform and how it would impact their lives on a
daily basis. According to Upstate officials, Arcuri asked a number
of questions of patients who need the provider’s services most
— those who are homebound and would normally require
permanent residence in a hospital or other medical facility.

“Visiting Upstate HomeCare allowed me to see firsthand the
significance of quality home care for so many across the region. I
learned what was important to the patients and what was important
to the providers and will take that information with me to
Washington as we work to reform our health care system to benefit
the people and employees at places like Upstate HomeCare,” Arcuri
said.

“The ultimate goal of patient care should be to work toward
providing a safe and caring environment for patients to rest and
recover at home.”

The visit also gave Upstate President and CEO Anthony Artessa an
opportunity to let Arcuri know his views on what is important in
health reform.

“Because of the current system’s requirements, 30 percent of our
staff is dedicated to customer service or billing and the necessary
paperwork, while only 15 percent are in-home clinical staff,”
Artessa said. “We feel these should be reversed, and hope this can
be accomplished with reform.”

Home care associations and advocacy groups point out meeting
with federal lawmakers face-to-face is crucial for the HME industry
in the face of competitive bidding, work on reforming Medicare’s
oxygen benefit and elimination of the first-month purchase option
for power wheelchairs. Observers note the delay on health reform
votes in Congress gives the industry more time to educate lawmakers
about concerns with these issues.

The House is currently scheduled to break for recess July 31,
with the Senate to break Aug. 7.

To contact federal legislators, dial the U.S. Capitol
Switchboard at 202/224-3121 for direct connection to their office.
To invite senators or representatives to visit your facility, ask
to speak with the scheduler.