A Statement from the Partnership for Quality Home Healthcare

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Partnership for Quality Home Healthcare

Feb 28, 2012, 06:54 ET

WASHINGTON, Feb. 28, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On behalf of the Partnership for Quality Home Healthcare - a coalition of community- and hospital-based, non-profit and propriety home healthcare agencies dedicated to developing innovative reforms to improve the program integrity, quality, and efficiency of home healthcare for our nation's seniors - Chairman Billy Tauzin (R-LA) and Senator John Breaux (D-LA) made the following statement:

"Enough is enough. Today's indictment in Texas is proof that action is needed now to stop criminals from victimizing the Medicare and Medicaid programs and the vulnerable patient populations they serve.

"Federal data pinpoints where healthcare fraud is occurring. As a result, the federal government can target fraudulent activity, preventing it from occurring in the first place and protecting seniors and taxpayers alike.

"To help Congress do so, the home healthcare community has proposed a tough, targeted solution to attack this targeted problem while safeguarding patients and honest providers. Based on recently released Medicare data, just one of the community's provisions will save taxpayers $11 billion over 10 years. Just as important, the community's reform proposal will stop fraud before it happens so that criminal acts like the one uncovered in Texas are blocked before they can occur.

"Through targeted reform, we can secure seniors' access to clinically advanced, cost effective, patient preferred home healthcare — and stop the bad actors who are preying on current weaknesses in the Medicare and Medicaid programs."

The Partnership for Quality Home Healthcare was established in 2010 to work in partnership with government officials to ensure access to quality home health services for all Americans. Representing more than 1,500 community- and hospital-based, non-profit and propriety home health and hospice agencies nationwide, the Partnership is developing innovative reforms to improve the program integrity, quality, and efficiency of home healthcare for our nation's seniors.

SOURCE Partnership for Quality Home Healthcare