This Minute is a call to action regarding the Senate bill the HEAT Act. Please review and participate.
Hello, everyone, and welcome to our Monday Minute. There are a couple of things that I would like to discuss with you today. The first of those is the notification that we received from the National Association for Home Care and Hospice just last week. This notification was in regard to The HEAT Act, which was, or is, a bill that was introduced by Senator Collins, an amazing friend of the Home Health industry. Senator Collins introduced this bill to assist Home Health agencies in receiving payment for telehealth services during a Public Health Emergency, at the discretion of CMS. As we are all very aware, during the current Public Health Emergency that we have been experiencing for over a year now, Home Health agencies have been allowed to conduct telehealth visits and telehealth face to face encounters. However, we have received no payment whatsoever for telehealth visits. This would allow for that during a Public Health Emergency. Many of us wish that telehealth services would be paid for on a routine basis, but that has been met basically with voices against a brick wall, at this point. That may happen in the future, but for now, we need to at least get this legislation to go through so that we can receive payment during health emergencies, such as the one we are currently continuing to experience.
See links below for The HEAT Act and also The National Association for homecare and hospice website, where they have given you a standard or a template of a letter that you can utilize to contact your representatives in support of The HEAT Act. This is a very important endeavor. And we all need to participate at the highest level so that we can make our voice heard and assist the National Association for homecare and hospice and all the state homecare and hospice associations that have been fighting for this on your behalf. I want to thank you all for participating in our Monday Minute today. And thank you ahead of time for participating in this activity in contacting your representatives and as always continue to support your national and state homecare and hospice associations.
If you need additional information feel free to give us a call or contact us. HPS is always here to support you.
Resources:
NAHC Legislative Action Center
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