Will Cuts in Home Health Care Increase Overall Health Care Spending?
On Jan. 1, Medicare‘s home health care services, formerly serving 3.5 million elderly beneficiaries across the country, were cut under ObamaCare. The cut deleted exactly 14 percent, or an estimated $22 billion, from these lowest-income Americans over four years…
Using 2009 as a reference year, Medicare‘s average Part A and Part B payment for a home health care visit was $145, compared to $373 per day in a skilled nursing facility or a whopping $1,805 per day in a hospital. In addition, according to one leading expert, skilled home health care services saved the Medicare program $2.8 billion during the most recent three-year period. Approximately $670 million of that savings is attributable to 20,000 fewer hospital readmissions. (More)
Not surprising..They cut everything except what they like.
Just like Obama said: He will just do what he wants without Congress.
Based on my observation, he just plays with the budgets and creates nothing…
Well, creates nothing but problems.
This makes no sense. Hospitals are bad places to recover and cost significantly for care that could be given at home. Way to go CMS.
A handbook of “home medicine” is highly necessary.
We probably can learn from some countries where community-based clinics are prevalent. The doctors there can treat most less severe diseases.
The seniors have to accept it.
Yeah they have to, but that doesn’t mean they should.
Trips to the ER or just to the regular hospital are unbelievably expensive!
You would have thought that home care (which is at your place, your time, and your way) would be much more expensive than care facilities or hospitals.
Hospitals are way too expensive…
Home health care is also way more manageable for seniors, rather than going to clinics or the ER. Cutting that spending makes health spending increase and lessen the access to care.
Just think what ER waiting rooms are going to be like now with Medicaid expansion and less home health care. They will be expensive and keep you waiting forever!
The healthcare funds for seniors are being scaled back so people like Sandra Fluke can get their free birth control. This administration is the epitome of the anti-life culture. The elderly won’t live much longer so why prolong their life with necessary healthcare seems to be line of thought here.