Seniors Aging at Home: The Choose Home Care Act of 2021
New legislation has been proposed and is receiving increased amounts of attention. The Choose Home Care Act of 2021 is a bill looking to broaden services for people in their homes as an alternative to facility-based services following a healthcare event. The goal behind the bill is to give home care providers more flexibility and financial support to keep Medicare beneficiaries who have had health episodes at home and out of more costly institutions with the motive to decrease overall costs.
Modernizing home health and placing value on developing further at-home care for the over 65 community has potential benefits, especially as we are all continuously talking about the over 65 community tracking to double within the next decade. Interest in shifting care into the home from facility based options has increased within the past few years and its success has merely been emphasized within the last year and half.
Is reform needed to expand home care options in the US for Medicare beneficiaries?
The Choose Home Care Act if legislated will enable:
- Certain Medicare patients to receive additional extended care services as an add-on to their existing home health benefit for 30 days following a hospital stay
- Personal care services
- Non-emergent transportation
- Meal delivery
- Respite care
- Remote patient monitoring
- Necessary therapy services (including telehealth options when appropriate)
- Home Health agencies to be larger part of discharge planning process to assist in determining appropriateness
- Participating agencies to meet conditions set forth by CMS
If you’re looking for a larger breakdown of information on this proposed legislation, organizations such as LeadingAge, NCOA, AARP, and Moving Health Home are providing support. Or you can check out the National Home Care and Hospice Association’s Choose Home Fact Sheet or section breakdown of the Choose Home Benefit.
The needs and interests of our senior population are ever evolving and should be at the forefront of discussions.
Source of Life Technologies was established by career healthcare professionals who saw first-hand a need for tools and modalities that would enhance the entire healthcare experience for users, caregivers, and healthcare providers.
From online engagement, mobile app opportunities, and to senior care fall strategies, healthcare shouldn’t be reactive - it should be proactive. Doors have been opened to on-demand healthcare and it turns out the overwhelming majority of patients, physicians, families and therapists want to continue down that path. The decision to modernize your senior care strategies is a big one and doesn’t happen overnight. Talk to the Source of Life Technologies team for the guidance and direction you need to make the change in your organization or home.
