Political Quotes

“Madam President, the second bill that I have introduced is the Home Health Care Planning Improvement Act. I have introduced this bill with my friend and colleague from Maryland, Senator Cardin. Our legislation will improve the access that Medicare beneficiaries have to home healthcare by allowing physician assistants, nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, and certified nurse midwives to order home health services. All of these healthcare professionals are playing increasingly important roles in the delivery of healthcare, particularly in rural and underserved areas of our Nation, like those represented by the Presiding Officer and the State of Maine. I have learned of far too many cases of seniors experiencing unnecessary delays in accessing home healthcare because a physician was not available to order the care promptly. To avoid these needless delays, it is common sense that other medical professionals who are familiar with a patient's case should be able to order these services. Under current law, however, only physicians are allowed to certify or initiate home healthcare for Medicare patients, even though they may not be as familiar with the patient's case as the nonphysician provider. In some cases, the certifying physician may not even have a relationship with the patient and must rely on the recommendation of the nurse practitioner, physician assistant, clinical nurse specialist, or certified nurse midwife to order the medically necessary home healthcare.…”