Here are five reactions to the proposal:
Center for Medicare Advocacy: In an Oct. 8 statement, the organization said it supports the proposal.
“Access to services and supports in the home for those who are unable to independently perform activities of daily living would provide immeasurable help to millions of beneficiaries and their families and is an important step forward for the Medicare program,” CMA co-director David Lipschutz said.
Home Care Association of America: In an Oct. 8 statement, the organization said it looked forward to working with policymakers to develop Medicare coverage for at-home care.
“This proposal seems to align with HCAOA’s mission to enhance access to quality, affordable home care for seniors and those with disabilities,” association CEO Jason Lee said.
LeadingAge: An Oct. 8 statement from the nonprofit association’s president and CEO, Katie Smith Sloan, said the proposal was “exciting and unique.”
“Adding home care to the Medicare program … will offer millions of older adults and families access to services that promote quality of life and safety as people age at home,” the statement said. “At the same time, we cannot overstate that without staff, there is no care. Continued attention and investment in the workforce, as noted in the proposal, remains essential.”
Madeline Sterling, MD: Dr. Sterling, an associate professor of medicine at New York City-based Weill Cornell Medicine and the director of the Ithaca, N.Y.-based Initiative on Home Care Work at Cornell University, told Becker’s the policy was one of the most important Medicare expansions in decades.
“[Currently] aide services are not covered by Medicare, but rather Medicaid. This leaves middle-class families to pay out of pocket until they qualify for Medicaid coverage. The Harris proposal would fill this gap.
“We know that 75% of adults want to stay at home as they age and avoid nursing homes. But they often end up in nursing homes because they cannot afford care at home from home health aides. This would begin to address this issue.”
National Council on Aging: In an Oct. 8 statement, the organization’s president and CEO, Ramsey Alwin, said expanding Medicare coverage to at-home care would be a “game-changer.”
“Medicare coverage of home care would be a game-changer for the millions of families who are caring for older loved ones with few options or support,” the statement said. “Today, older adults either must spend themselves into poverty to qualify for Medicaid or rely on family for the care they need. Coverage would give families a choice, and the dignity they deserve.”
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