NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT ACT--MOTION TO PROCEED--Continued

Floor Speech

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Ms. COLLINS. Thank you.

(The remarks of Ms. Collins pertaining to the introduction of S. 433 are printed in today's Record under ``Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions.'')

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Ms. COLLINS. Madam President, the second bill that I have introduced is the Home Health Care Planning Improvement Act. I have introduced this bill with my friend and colleague from Maryland, Senator Cardin. Our legislation will improve the access that Medicare beneficiaries have to home healthcare by allowing physician assistants, nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, and certified nurse midwives to order home health services. All of these healthcare professionals are playing increasingly important roles in the delivery of healthcare, particularly in rural and underserved areas of our Nation, like those represented by the Presiding Officer and the State of Maine.

I have learned of far too many cases of seniors experiencing unnecessary delays in accessing home healthcare because a physician was not available to order the care promptly. To avoid these needless delays, it is common sense that other medical professionals who are familiar with a patient's case should be able to order these services. Under current law, however, only physicians are allowed to certify or initiate home healthcare for Medicare patients, even though they may not be as familiar with the patient's case as the nonphysician provider. In some cases, the certifying physician may not even have a relationship with the patient and must rely on the recommendation of the nurse practitioner, physician assistant, clinical nurse specialist, or certified nurse midwife to order the medically necessary home healthcare. That makes no sense whatsoever. In too many cases, these requirements create obstacles, delays, and unnecessary paperwork before home healthcare can be provided. The result can be an unnecessary hospital readmission or other setback for the patient that would not have occurred had the home healthcare been provided promptly.

The Home Health Care Planning Improvement Act removes the needless delays in getting Medicare patients the home healthcare they need simply because a physician is not available to sign the form required by law. Again, I would make the point that this physician may not even have a relationship with the senior or other patient who needs the home healthcare. That primary care relationship may be between the patient and a nurse practitioner or a physician assistant, and yet that qualified healthcare professional is unable to order the home care that the patient needs.

These two bills will help to ensure the viability and accessibility of home health services now and in the future. By helping patients to avoid much more costly hospital stays and nursing homes, we know that home healthcare saves Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurers' programs millions of dollars each year. At a time when healthcare costs are among our most pressing policy challenges, we should embrace cost- effective solutions like home healthcare.

Thank you, Madam President.

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