Rob Portman: “I rise in support of H.R. 4567, the Medicare Home Health Care and Veterans Health Care Improvement Act. Home health care…”

“I rise in support of H.R. 4567, the Medicare Home Health Care and Veterans Health Care Improvement Act. Home health care is a vital service for Medicare beneficiaries that provides patients with peace of mind by allowing them to stay in their homes during their golden years. Without this service, many individuals would be forced into more expensive assisted living facilities or nursing homes. The bill is necessary because HCFA has told us that, as a result of the Y2K computer problem, it cannot implement the prospective payment system for home healthcare by October 1, 1999 as required by the Balanced Budget Act. This means home health agencies, through no fault of their own, will be hurt by the interim payment system and will continue to be paid under it longer than Congress intended. This unfortunate situation threatens the very existence of many agencies, including some from my Congressional district that have been responsible and have operated efficiently to keep their costs down. H.R. 4567 is designed to provide needed relief to such agencies under the interim payment system while HCFA sorts out its computer problems.”