enior citizens groups.
The conducted analysis provided data to show that the largest contribution made to the BBA consisted of politicians whose actions, in general, slowed the rate of growth in Medicare spending and, therefore, in spending related to home health care. It was noted that the cuts in expenditures cannot be said to interfere with home health service delivery so much as to mandate that the industry make changes in its policy and operations.
It was also noted that the home health care industry itself attempted to develop a payment plan to be considered by the politicians developing the BBA but plan had several flaws and was therefore rejected, a fact that most probably contributed to many of the changes and cuts that were eventually passed. With respect to insurance agencies, the analysis revealed that they lobbied for and received increased private insurance options for Medicare beneficiaries. Both advantages and disadvantages were said to be associated with these new options. Advantages included the facts that they will help to reduce Medicare expenditures while allowing patients to still receive whatever additional services they may need that are not covered by Medicare. Disadvantages were said to included anticipated problems for patients who cannot afford private insurance and/or the lack of regulation over what insurance companies are going to charge for these additional services.
Regarding senior citizens organizations, it was reported that they worked very hard to lobby Congress to reduce cuts in Medicare spending involving home health care; and while some of their concerns were addressed in the BBA, these groups remain fearful that home health care policy changes resulting from the BBA will be inadequate for handling the increased need for home health care.
Based on the analysis, it was concluded that home health care nurses, in general, must take many steps to ensure that their profession's goals f...