The June 12 and June 18 Updates and the June issues of Think Home Care are now available on our newsletter archive.
Return to www.thinkhomecare.org.
Membership e-Renewals Are Here!
I’m pleased to announce that — for the first time — Alliance agencies will have the choice of either renewing their membership through traditional the hard-copy application or electronically. Though, the primary contact of each member agency should receive a package with the hard-copy renewal (which should arrive by Friday), we highly encourage you to e-Renew.
Continue reading “Membership e-Renewals Are Here!”
76 Congressmen Sign on to Oppose Home Health Cuts
Thanks to all those who contacted their Congressional representatives! Because of your efforts, the Massachusetts delegation had a strong showing on the sign on letter initiated by Congressman Jim McGovern (D-MA) and Walter Jones (R-NC).
Among the 76 US Representative nationwide who signed their name, Massachusetts had Congressmen Mike Capuano, Bill Delahunt, Barney Frank and John Olver (in addition to Jim McGovern).
To view the final letter with signatures, click here.
The focus now turns to the US Senate where a similar letter is being circulated. Please go to our Legislative Action Center where you can contact Senators Kerry and Kennedy to urge their participation in standing up for home health. Just go to the first message under “Federal or National Issues.”
If you have any questions, please contact James Fuccione at the Alliance.
Return to www.thinkhomecare.org.
Photographs From the Trade Show & Conference
Click below to see pictures from the Alliance’s Spring Trade Show & Conference in Sturbridge, Mass. last week.
Return to www.thinkhomecare.org.
Continue reading “Photographs From the Trade Show & Conference”
Update Will Come Monday
Due to technical problems, the next issue of Update will be sent Monday, June 15.
Return to www.thinkhomecare.org.
Alliance Submits Statement on Rate Legislation
While the Alliance and its members were busy at the 2009 Spring Conference and unable to verbally testify at a June 3 public hearing before the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing, the Alliance was able to submit written testimony.
The statement dealt with two bills, both Alliance priorities: S.535, An Act to Establish an Equitable Rate of Payment for Medicaid Home Health Services, and S.552, An Act Requiring an Analysis of Medicaid Home Health Rates.
Click here to view the Alliance’s Testimony.
Return to www.thinkhomecare.org.
Alliance Submits Testimony on Emergency Preparedness
The Home Care Alliance Submitted Testimony on Senate Bill 812, An Act to Ensure the Availability of Medications in Time of an Emergency. The bill was part of a public hearing that lasted all day on June 9 before the Joint Committee on Public Health where the committee heard testimony on legislation relative to health disparities.
Click here to see our Testimony for more details and our suggested addition to the bill.
Return to www.thinkhomecare.org.
Keep Contacting Your Congressmen
US Representative Mike Capuano is the latest from the state’s Congressional delegation to sign onto letters that oppose damaging cuts to home health. Check the Alliance’s advocacy page under “contact your legislator” to send a message to urge legislators to sign on to Congressman Jim McGovern’s “dear colleague” letters in support of home-based services.
For more information, see the text from a letter the Alliance sent to all Massachusetts Congressman below:
On behalf of Home Care Alliance of Massachusetts, I urge you to sign on to a pair of initiatives championed by your colleagues James McGovern and Walter Jones that opposes home health care cuts in the President’s budget and establishes a House Home Health Working Group.
Home-based services promote independent living for seniors and other individuals in need of care, which help them to remain in their communities where they are most comfortable and familiar. These services are cost-effective in keeping patients out of the hospital and nursing homes. At an economically challenging juncture when home health rates are being frozen and reduced in Massachusetts on the state level, we need to encourage and expand the utilization of home-based care rather than make damaging cuts.
The Working Group will look to further the role of home health in our nation’s health care delivery system while the McGovern-Jones “dear colleague” letter – addressed to the Committee on Ways & Means – resists the President’s proposal to cut Medicare home health payments by $13.16 billion over the next five years. If the President’s proposal is allowed to pass, Massachusetts would lose $16.7 million in Medicare reimbursement for fiscal year 2010 alone. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) report may have uncovered sporadic fraud in home health, but a better approach to controlling Medicare home health spending is to prosecute and punish the few agencies responsible for that fraud instead of reducing rates.
Return to www.thinkhomecare.org.
June 05 Update, May THK Available
The most recent issues of Update and Think Home Care are available on our members-only archive page.
Home Care STAR Award Winners Named
Four individuals received 2009 STAR Awards from the Home Care Alliance of Massachusetts during a ceremony Wednesday, June 3, 2009. The STAR awards recognize excellence and outstanding achievement within the Massachusetts home care community.
Award winners were:
Aide of the Year
Tama Lewis
Home Health Aide, Visiting Angels, Newton/Canton
Clinician of the Year
Carol Doane
Maternal & Child Health Nurse, Walpole Area VNA
Manager of the Year
Katie Baker
Director of Rehabilitation, VNA of Greater Lowell
Home Care Champion
Robert Dwyer, Esq.
Board Treasurer, Norwell VNA
Think Home Care Blog 