Senators Baucus and Hatch Praised for Addressing Need for Action to Prevent Medicare Fraud and Abuse

Congressional and Administration leaders discuss solutions consistent with program integrity and payment reforms proposed by home healthcare community

WASHINGTON, April 25, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Partnership for Quality Home Healthcare – a national coalition representing more than 1,500 community- and hospital-based home health agencies nationwide – today commended Senators Max Baucus (D-MT) and Orrin Hatch (R-UT) for calling attention to the need for Medicare program integrity improvements in a hearing before the Senate Finance Committee.  The home healthcare community has been working with lawmakers and community leaders for more than a year on proposals targeting fraud and abuse and strengthening the Medicare skilled home healthcare benefit.

"The home healthcare community is a staunch advocate for reforms that will target Medicare fraud and abuse," said Billy Tauzin, senior counsel to the Partnership for Quality Home Healthcare.  "We are grateful for the efforts of our colleagues in the Administration and Congress and look forward to achieving the policy changes that will stop bad actors and protect senior citizens, cost-efficient providers and taxpayers alike."

"We are also pleased that ideas discussed during yesterday's hearing mirror policy solutions that have been advanced by the home healthcare community to identify and prevent fraud and abuse. These program integrity improvements include mechanisms to prevent payment of aberrant claims as well as enhanced conditions of participation and claims validation processes."

"We look forward to our continued dialogue with Senators Baucus and Hatch, and their colleagues in Congress. Together, we can and will strengthen the home healthcare benefit and Medicare program as a whole," concluded Tauzin.

The Partnership for Quality Home Healthcare was established in 2010 to assist government officials in ensuring access to quality home health services for all Americans. Representing more than 1,500 community- and hospital-based home health agencies nationwide, the Partnership is dedicated to developing innovative reforms to improve the program integrity, quality, and efficiency of home healthcare for our nation's seniors.  To learn more, visit www.homehealth4america.org.

SOURCE Partnership for Quality Home Healthcare