Proposed Pilot Program would Expand At-Home Health Services

By Richard Shank At Home Care

Senator Ron Wyden and Representative Edward Markey recently introduced legislation that would enable beneficiaries of Medicare with multiple chronic conditions to benefit from at-home health services. This program, known as Independence at Home (IAH), would be piloted in 26 different states.

Eligible beneficiaries would collaborate with participating nurses and physicians to develop at-home care plans that lead to greater independence for the older adult and can provide a better quality-of-life and care. Additionally, the program promotes the reduced the costs of Medicare and Medicaid.

Nearly 90% of adults over the age of 65 have at least one chronic health condition and about 77% of these adults have two or more. Medicare beneficiaries living with multiple chronic conditions account for a disproportionate share of health benefit spending, equaling 88% of all pharmaceutical prescriptions for these conditions, and roughly 75% of all hospital and physician visits.

Evidence suggests that patients with chronic conditions often receive poorly-coordinated care, conflicting information, and different diagnoses from the same symptoms. This type of disjointed medical delivery system leads to patient confusion and care provider miscommunication, which ultimately has a negative impact on patient health outcomes.

The IAH program incorporates lessons learned from a number of previous demonstration projects. It seeks to coordinate the care of Medicare beneficiaries with multiple chronic conditions in a way that holds health care providers accountable for quality outcomes, attempts to increase patient satisfaction, and ensures health care expenditure savings. The authors of the bill suggest that this program will generate monetary savings by improving the quality of care through a more efficiently organized care coordination system.

The following organizations have announced their support for the Independence at
Home Act:

American Academy of Home Care Physicians
AARP
American Academy of Nurse Practitioners
National Family Caregivers Association
Family Caregiver Alliance/National Center on Caregiving
American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging
Maryland-National Capital Home Care Association
Visiting Nurse Associations of America
Intel Corp

For more information, see the bill at: http://markey.house.gov.

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