In June,2009 the Foundation for Home Health and the Massachusetts Senior Care Foundation sponsored a invitation only working session for educators, home health and long term care providers. The purpose of the day long session was to promote home health and long term care as clinical placement sites for nursing students thereby increasing their awareness of geriatrics and community based programs as desirable places to work. The program was funded by a grant from the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education Nursing and Allied Health Initiative. Click here for a copy of the report.
Month: December 2009
NY Times: Home Care Patients Worry Over Possible Cuts
An article front and center on the New York Times website on December 4 focused on the potential cuts to home health Medicare payments in the health care reform debate.
The story is an excellent summary touching upon the political, financial, and, most importantly, the human side of the issue. It also presents the confusion that is experienced by those who work in, and are served by, the home health industry who are aware of its cost-efficiency, among other benefits:
The proposed cuts appear to be at odds with other provisions of the giant health care bills. A major goal of those bills is to reduce the readmission of Medicare patients to hospitals. Medicare patients say that is exactly what home care does.
Return to www.thinkhomecare.org
Home Care Month Review
The Home Care Alliance was pleased to have a number of legislators come out on home care and telehealth visits throughout the state in order to raise awareness that November was National Home Care Month.
The Alliance would like to thank the following legislators and agencies who participated:
- State Representative Cory Atkins; Acton Public Health Nursing Service.
- State Representative Brian Ashe; Spectrum Home Health/Jewish Geriatric Services, Inc.
- State Representative Steven Walsh and State Senator Thomas McGee; AllCare VNA
- State Representative David Linsky; Natick Visiting Nurse Association
- State Representative John Scibak; VNA & Hospice of Cooley Dickenson
- State Senator Michael Moore; VNA Care Network
- State Representative Katherine Clark, State Senator Richard Tisei, Mayors Richard Howard of Malden and Michael McGlynn of Medford; Hallmark Home Health
- State Senator Ben Downing; Lee Regional VNA
To view photos of these visits, visit the Alliance’s Facebook page.
The Alliance will continue to organize visits for legislators and other government officials interested in seeing the many benefits home health care can offer.
Return to www.thinkhomecare.org.
More OASIS-C Updates
We’ve posted PDF-version of three PowerPoint presentations from CMS OASIS-C implementation calls on the OASIS-C page.
Return to www.thinkhomecare.org.
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