The Story So Far...
In April 2009 State Senator Doug Berger – in his Senate Committee on Health Care – cut home care for elderly Medicaid patients 60% - eliminating in home care for 20,000 patients.
Berger’s reason: He claimed a ‘review’ he’d received from the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) that proved nearly 45% of the patients receiving home care were ineligible.
It is not clear whether Berger knew his statement was incorrect in April – but he almost certainly knew in May, when an official with DHHS wrote Berger’s staff that the ‘review’ did not show 45% of the home care patients were ineligible.
Another email from DHHS to legislators in June was blunter: It stated in ‘reviews’ like the one Berger cited: “The review nurse does not actually conduct a physical examination of the recipients [patients]…Because no examination is conducted, it cannot be stated with certainty that recipient is out of compliance with PCS [home care] need criteria, only that they are ‘questionable’ and require a full reassessment…To refer to this recipient ‘as not qualified for PCS’ at this point would be premature, since the individual may subsequently be determined to be qualified once reevaluated.”
In fact, that is precisely what happened after this review. DHHS ‘re-evaluated’ the patients and found almost all did need home care – and they continue to receive it with DHHS’s approval.
But, rather than correcting his mistake, Berger continues to claim 45% of the Medicaid patients receiving home care are ineligible. In fact, after the State House restored part of his cuts – so patients can receive care – Berger tried to slash home care again, this time by 85% - all but eliminating home care.
The final cuts are now being debated in the House-Senate Budget Conference.
Save North Carolina Home Care and Hospice!
Contact your Legislators. Tell them to keep the funds for Home Care and Hospice!