Bill Giving NPs More Home Health Power Gains Momentum
Posted almost 10 years ago by Nicholas M Perrino
"A bill that would allow nurse practitioners to certify Medicare home health services is gaining momentum as lawmakers continue to pen their support for the legislation, according to the National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC).
As of Oct. 9, seven additional members of the United States House of Representatives and one more member of the U.S. Senate were officially listed as cosponsors of the Home Health Care Planning Improvement Act, a measure aiming to permit nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists and certified nurse midwives to sign off on home health care plans and authorize Medicare patients for home health benefits.
Currently, nurse practitioners are prohibited from certifying home health benefits and approving care plans. But with more people relying on nurse practitioners as their primary care source, the legislation is crucial within the home care community, NAHC stated in the release.
Last month, NAHC met with CBO officials to discuss cost and savings implications of the bill. Specifically, NAHC said the bill could reduce Medicare spending through a shift in physician billings to nurse practitioner billings, which are reimbursed at 85% of the physician payment rates for certification and care plan oversight.
NAHC also said the changes called for in the legislation could increase efficiency in the home care space. Nurse practitioners now have to secure physicians to authorize care for their patients, but under the proposal, nurse practitioners could substitute for physicians and therefore decrease physician utilization."