Home Health Care Cuts

Are Unjustified

To the Editor:

The Visiting Nurse Associations in Western and Northwestern Connecticut have a long history of providing home health care to thousands, the majority of whom are senior citizens, the frail, and those with disabilities who rely on the Medicare program to get treatment at home. Yet Congress is intent on either freezing or making cuts to home health at the expense of patients who are the most in need. How does Congress justify cutting home health care expenses one more year when they have done so for the last seven or eight years? How does Congress justify making additional cuts in a Medicare program that is only 3.8 percent of the total Medicare budget?

To target home health care is to deny Americans a significant and cost-effective solution to meeting long-term care needs. In fact, home care is very cost effective — the average cost to Medicare during 2005 for 60 days of care within the home cost $2,213 as opposed to a skilled nursing facility at a cost of $29,580. The cost to Medicare for treating a patient in the hospital for only one day is $4,603. To think that it is acceptable to compromise patient care when millions of dollars are being saved does not make sense.

Our legislators in Washington must take a strong and united position that any cuts to Medicare home health care should be excluded from the Medicare bill. We urge our Connecticut Representatives John Larson (D-1), Rob Simmons (R-2), Rosa DeLauro (D-3), Chris Shays (R-4), and Nancy Johnson to say No. Our patients need and rely on their help.

Sincerely,

Ann Faraguna, RN,CEO

Danbury Visiting Nurse Association

Jane Fields, RN, CEO

Ridgefield Visiting Nurse Association

Judy Malin, RN,CEO

Bethel Visiting Nurse Association

Nancy Deming, CEO

Northwest Visiting Nurse Association

4 Liberty Street, Danbury                                      October 12, 2006