Senators Collins & Schumer Introduce Home Health Bill

Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Chuck Schumer (D-NY) filed legislation last Thursday, July 18 to enable nurse practitioners to certify home health services for Medicare beneficiaries.  The “Home Health Care Planning Improvement Act of 2013” (S. 1332) is identical to companion legislation (H.R. 2504) introduced June 26 in the House by Representatives Greg Walden (R-OR) and Allyson Schwartz (D-PA), which currently has 32 cosponsors.

This legislation won broad bipartisan support in the 112th Congress, with a total of 122 House and 17 Senate cosponsors.  Independent analysis has found that the legislation would save Medicare roughly $310 million over ten years while reducing delays and improving efficiency in patient care.

Source: AANP Federal Legislative Update