The Massachusetts Senate spent the past week debating their landmark health care payment reform proposal, which included 265 amendments that were filed after Senate leadership released the bill to all Senators and the general public.
The Home Care Alliance worked to have several amendments filed and advocated for other amendments that were seen as beneficial.
The Alliance saw victories in the adoption of the following amendments:
- Amendment #43, which instructs insurers to cover telemedicine.
- Amendment #13, which allows employers to count a spouse or parent’s insurance coverage to qualify their employee under the state’s “fair share contribution” regulation.
- Amendment # 223, which adds community-based behavioral providers to the e-Health Institute’s spectrum of care.
- Amendment # 121, which requires hospitals, nursing homes, and assisted living facilities to provide appropriate patients with information regarding the availability of palliative care and end-of-life options.
- An amendment installing a representative of a certified home care agency on an e-Health Commission.
The focus on health care payment reform will move to the House although the timing on that debate and process has not yet been formally announced. Stay tuned to our UPDATE newsletter and the HCA blog for the latest information. If members or advocates have any questions related to payment reform, please contact James Fuccione at the Alliance.
Return to www.thinkhomecare.org.
Think Home Care Blog 
One thought on “HCA Succeeds with Amendments to Senate Health Care Payment Reform Bill”