A new bipartisan bill, called the Independence at Home Act of 2016, could be the answer to lower costs and better quality for patients on Medicare.
John Rother, National Coalition on Health Care (NCHC) president and CEO, recently introduced the bill, along with Sens. John Cornyn (R-TX), Rob Portman (R-OH), Ed Markey (D-MA) and Michael Bennet (D-CO).
“This bipartisan legislation opens the door to home-based primary care for nearly two million of Medicare’s frailest beneficiaries — an approach that is proven to save money for taxpayers even as it improves care quality,” Rother said. “The Independence at Home Act ought to be near the top of Congress’ to-do list.”
Beginning in 2011, the CMS Independence at Home (AHA) Practice Demonstration provided approximately 90,000 Medicare beneficiaries with improved access to nurses, doctors, social workers and pharmacists who could give them high-quality primary care within their own homes.
Because of this better access, each beneficiary saved approximately $3,070 while receiving improved quality of health care. Unfortunately, the current law does not allow the bill to be expanded unless Congress acts on the new bill.
“Lawmakers should ensure that beneficiaries across the country can access this enormously successful, cost-saving Independence at Home program,” Rother said.
