1999 Ron Paul 116:1 Mr. PAUL.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to take this
opportunity to express my agreement with language
contained in the report accompanying
H.R. 3075, which was included in the Omnibus
Appropriations bill, encouraging the Secretary
of Health and Human Services to allow
home health agencies to use technology to
supervise their branch offices. This language
also calls on the government to allow home
health agencies to determine the adequate
level of on-site supervision of their branch offices
based on quality outcomes. I need not
remind my colleagues that Congress is expecting
home health agencies to operate efficiently
under greatly reduced Interim Payment
System (IPS) and Prospective Payment System
(PPS) reimbursement. It is therefore necessary
that home health agencies be allowed
the flexibility to establish and serve large service
areas by utilizing cost efficient branch offices.
1999 Ron Paul 116:2 My district includes many rural areas which
are experiencing access problems due to the
Health Care Financing Administration’s
(HCFA’s) home health branch office policies
affecting time/distance limitations and on-site
supervision requirements. In many cases,
these requirements do not recognize technology
advances. In order to ensure that senior
citizens in rural areas have access to quality
home care, it is vital that any regulations on
home health care branch offices promulgated
by the Health Care Financing Administration
(HCFA) evaluate the offices by quality of outcome
instead of arbitrary administration requirements
and restrictions.
1999 Ron Paul 116:3 In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, I reiterate my
support for the report language accompanying
H.R. 3075 urging the use of outcome instead
of arbitrary requirements and restrictions, to
determine a home health care agency’s ability
to establish and supervise branch offices.
Note:
1999 Ron Paul 116:1
cost efficient branch offices probably should be hyphenated:
cost-efficient branch offices.
1999 Ron Paul 116:2
technology advances perhaps should be technological advances.
