by Kristin Rowan, Editor
The U.S. House Ways and Means Committee held a hearing on March 12, 2024 to address the need for access to care-at-home services in rural and underserved communities. The advisory board heard from several witnesses including two care at home patients, a medical doctor, the founder and CEO of Cadence, and a professor of Health Care Policy and Medicine at Harvard Medical School.
Committee Chairman Jason Smith (MO) said, in his opening statement, “Where someone lives, works or raises a family should not be a barrier to getting top of the line health care. One of our priorities on this Committee is helping every American get health care in their community.”
With the Medicare telehealth and Hospital at Home programs scheduled to expire at the end of this year, Smith is urging the committee to see the profound impact that lack of access to healthcare would have on patients in rural and underserved communities. He want on to say that the “tired approaches…have not made a meaningful impact for enough patients.”
Cutting edge technology and new approaches to make Americans healthier and increase access to care in rural areas are needed. Smith recommends examining provider reimbursement and adding patient and taxpayer protections to “ensure access, demonstrate value, and prevent waste, fraud, and abuse.”
Read Chairman Smith’s opening statement here. Watch the witness statements at the hearing here.
The American Telemedicine Association and ATA Action expressed appreciation to the Committee in a press release issued just after the hearing. “We are grateful to the House Committee on Ways and Means for examining the opportunities in moving care into the home in order to benefit patients, particularly those in rural and underserved communities,” said Kyle Zebley, Senior Vice President, Public Policy, the ATA and Executive Director, ATA Action.
Read the full press release from the American Telemedicine Association and ATA Action here.
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Kristin Rowan has been working at Healthcare at Home: The Rowan Report since 2008. She has a master’s degree in business administration and marketing and runs Girard Marketing Group, a multi-faceted boutique marketing firm specializing in event planning, sales, and marketing strategy. She has recently taken on the role of Editor of The Rowan Report and will add her voice to current Home Care topics as well as marketing tips for home care agencies. Connect with Kristin directly kristin@girardmarketinggroup.com or www.girardmarketinggroup.com
©2024 by The Rowan Report, Peoria, AZ. All rights reserved. This article originally appeared in Healthcare at Home: The Rowan Report.One copy may be printed for personal use: further reproduction by permission only. editor@therowanreport.com
