Home Health & Hospice Week

Industry hopes for PCR changes within 6 weeks.

With Tom Price confirmed as Health and Human Services Secretary, will regulatory relief follow? That’s what industry representatives hope as Florida’s April 1 implementation date for Pre-Claim Review fast approaches.

On Feb. 10 senators voted 52-47 along party lines to approve the former practicing ortho surgeon for the post. The move came after Democrats boycotted a Senate Finance Committee vote earlier in the week to advance the nomination. The full Senate vote was held in the middle of the night due to procedural delays initiated by Democrats.

When President-Elect Trump announced Price as his nominee on Nov. 29, state and national trade groups were quick to praise him (see Eli’s HCW, Vol. XXV, No. 43). They continue to pin regulatory relief hopes on the former Republican congressman from Georgia after the vote.

“Secretary Price has been a longstanding advocate for home care,” says William Dombi, VP for law with the National Association for Home Care & Hospice. “During his confirmation process, he responded to a series of questions from Senators indicating that his support will continue during his tenure at HHS.”

Price has been “continually championing policy reforms to strengthen the delivery of quality care to one of Medicare’s most vulnerable patient

populations,” lauds lobbying group the Partnership for Quality Home Healthcare in a release.

An introduction of a bill to suspend PCR and a letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, asking the agency to withdraw the demonstration project, are two of his actions most appreciated by home care providers.

Now agencies hope Price comes through with real changes that will help ease their regulatory burden — and soon. “We are hopeful that Secretary Price will address concerns with PCR in the near term, particularly before PCR begins in Florida,” Dombi tells Eli.

“The Partnership looks forward to working with Secretary Price and the leadership at HHS to improve access to skilled home healthcare by providing much-needed regulatory relief to Medicare rules that are currently restricting access to vitally important home health services,” says PQHH’s Colin Roskey in the release. Price’s “recognition of the value home healthcare adds to the larger healthcare continuum stands to improve patient care and reduce Medicare costs.”