Today, the American Association for Homecare reminds Congress and the president that medical care provided in the home is cost-effective, clinically effective, and preferred by seniors, disabled Americans, and their families who benefit from it.

“With respect to healthcare, the state of the union grows stronger because of wise use of homecare as an alternative to institutionally based care,” stated Tyler Wilson, president and CEO of the American Association for Homecare. “We call on Congress and the president to strengthen the homecare benefits in Medicare such as home oxygen therapy, which helps close to one million Americans to breathe easier in a comfortable and cost-effective setting — their homes.”

Homecare providers have been working with policymakers in Washington to inform them about the research showing the cost-effectiveness of healthcare provided in the home. These cost-effectiveness studies are important for legislators to keep in mind as they will be looking for programs to cut, and homecare has already been subjected to repeated cuts in recent years.

Facts about Homecare

1) Millions of Americans with diseases such as COPD and congestive heart
failure depend on home medical equipment for medically required
therapies.

2) Technology for home medical equipment and telemedicine is advancing
the cost-effectiveness and clinical effectiveness of homecare.

3) Homecare serves a vital role in the nation’s healthcare system and is
a key part of the solution to the fiscal challenges of Medicare. U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt has
called for greater use of home and community-based care because “it’s
not only where people want to be served, but it’s radically more
efficient.”

4) While homecare is the most cost-effective setting for care, less than
2 percent of the Medicare budget goes to home medical equipment and
therapies (durable medical equipment).

“Homecare is an essential part of the nation’s healthcare future,” stated Wilson. “We encourage policymakers to learn more about homecare and to support stronger homecare for Americans.”

Medical literature and studies over recent years document the cost-effectiveness of homecare. The National Institute of Health (NIH) has released two studies showing the cost-effectiveness and clinical efficacy of homecare services. NIH has issued a study showing that elderly heart failure patients receiving specialized nursing care throughout their hospital stay and at home had better quality of life and fewer hospital readmissions. The study further stated that the care resulted in 38 percent savings in Medicare costs.

For information about homecare and other details, visit the American Association for Homecare website at http://www.aahomecare.org/. Summaries of more than a dozen studies in JAMA, the New England Journal of Medicine, and other journals are also posted on the site.

The American Association for Homecare (AAHomecare) represents all lines of service and therapy in the homecare community, including home medical equipment providers, respiratory therapy, infusion therapy, telemedicine, and rehab and assistive technology. AAHomecare represents more than 3,000 member locations in all 50 states.

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