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12/15/2009 - Help Gather Support for Amendment to Reduce Home Health Cuts in Senate Health Reform Bill
Help Gather Support for Amendment to Reduce Home Health Cuts in Senate Health Reform Bill
Bipartisan Amendment Introduced Last Week with Considerable Support
National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC) members are encouraged to contact their senators to urge them to cosponsor an amendment (S.AMDT.2926) introduced by Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) last week to reduce the overall amount of home health cuts in the Senate's health care reform bill. A number of cosponsors have added their names to the amendment, including Sens. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Susan Collins (R-ME), Olympia Snowe (R-ME), Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Arlen Specter (D-PA), Tim Johnson (D-SD), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Ben Nelson (D-NE), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), and Evan Bayh (D-IN).
Additional cosponsors can be added after the amendment is filed, which is why NAHC members can help make the difference in this case. This amendment follows another by Sen. Kerry that found success by a unanimous vote of 96 to 0 to prohibit any reductions in Medicare home health benefits as a result of the health reform package (NAHC Report, Dec. 7).
Because the amendment may come up soon, it would be most effective for NAHC members to call their senators' offices. Senators can be reached by calling the Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and asking to be connected to a senator's office (when speaking with the senator's receptionist, ask to speak with the staffer who handles Medicare issues). To identify your senators and/or obtain their direct contact information, click here and enter your zip code. If they are interested in cosponsoring, ask the health staffer to contact Ali Bonebrake in Senator Kerry's office.
NAHC extends thanks to the senators who have introduced this amendment and will work to obtain its enactment. NAHC also thanks all its members who have weighed in throughout the year - and continue to do so - against home health cuts that would erode the Medicare home health benefit. Stay tuned to NAHC Report for more developments.
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