NAHC Plans to Introduce Legislation to Freeze Homecare Reimbursement Rates

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (July 15, 2022)—The National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC) is planning to bring legislation that would freeze reimbursement rates for five years, Calvin McDaniel, the organization’s director of government affairs, said in a webinar hosted by Polsinelli.

The recent proposed rule for home health from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) would result in an $810 million decrease in payments, in part due to a nearly 8% decrease CMS is applying due to behavioral adjustments. (Read more about this rule here.)

“We think it’s a flawed calculation and methodology,” McDaniel said. “We want to know what method CMS used to arrive at their numbers.”

The new legislation would freeze the payment rates at current levels through 2026 and would allow for inflation-based adjustments. 

McDaniel did not reveal the full details of the bill, but did say NAHC has strong champions lining up to support the bill on both sides of the aisle. The plan is to introduce the bill in the Senate and then move to the House, he said. 

Also during the webinar, Vicki Hoak, CEO of the Home Care Association of America, provided an update on the Home Care Workforce Action Alliance. The partnership has formed four workgroups to address the main concerns around staffing, including staff education opportunities, compensation, supply and demand, and the perception of the industry. 

Hoak said they are seeking volunteers to serve on the groups, which are tasked with completing their research by the end of the year.