Provider groups hope to avoid federal 'fiscal cliff' cuts

Representatives of hospitals and home health care services have increased efforts to lobby Congress in hopes that they will not see cuts as part of efforts to avoid the so-called "fiscal cliff"  (Source: "Hospitals, Home Health Care Services Lobby Against Cuts In Deficit Deal," Kaiser Health News, Nov. 15, 2012).

Provider groups such as the American Hospital Association have begun offering up alternatives to cutting reimbursement rates (pdf, 2 pages), one possible approach Congress could take as part of a larger deficit reduction plan.

“True entitlement reform and approaches to change the health care delivery system are needed – not provider cuts,” according to AHA's list of budget alternatives.

Likewise, the Partnership for Quality Home Healthcare has begun distributing a report (pdf, 10 pagefs) that illustrates how home-based care is less expensive for Medicare.