What Government Officials Say About Home Health
What Government Officials Say About Home Health
“Today, over 30 million seniors take advantage of the Medicare home health benefit. This
benefit is vital to these seniors because it gives them independence. They can receive
treatment in the comfort of their own homes. It is also cost effective. Without home
healthcare, seniors would have to receive their care in the more costly settings of nursing
homes or hospitals.”
Representative James McGovern (D-MA)
Source: Congressional Record, June 23, 2000
“Home health has become an increasingly important part of our health care system. The kinds
of highly skilled – and often technically complex – services that our nation’s home health
caregivers provide have enabled millions of our most frail and vulnerable older and disabled
citizens to avoid hospitals and nursing homes and stay just where they want to be – in the
comfort and security of their own homes.”
Senator Susan Collins (R-ME)
Source: Statement to Congress, July 14, 2004
“Approximately two million home caregivers represent one of the fastest growing professions
in the nation and, with the baby boom generation beginning to move into their retirement
years, it is clear that we will have an increasing need for home care services”
President Barack Obama*
“I am absolutely convinced that one of the most important elements in a humane and
effective health care system is its ability to treat people in their own homes when medically
appropriate…Improving the financing and delivery of home care services should be at the
top of Congress’ priorities; it is certainly at the top of my own personal legislative agenda for
health care.”
Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA)*
“Home or community-based care is cost-effective and most patients would prefer care in these
settings to institutional care.”
Senator Max Baucus (D-MT)*
What Government Officials Say About Home Health
“Home health care serves to keep families together. There is no substitute for the laying on of
hands-that of one human being reaching out to another. Individuals are helped to live as full and
meaningful lives as possible, cared for by skilled nurses, therapists, and home care aides. I would
like to see our elderly citizens assured real protection under a sound Medicare system that allows
the elderly to remain independent in their own homes with a maximum of human dignity.”
Representative John Lewis (D-GA)*
“I continue to very strongly support home health care initiatives. In fact, strengthening
support for home health care is one of my highest priorities.”
Senator John Rockefeller (D-WV)*
“Home health care can result in enormous savings over the long run…Even if there weren’t a
savings, even it was a little more expensive, the quality of life would be so enhanced it would
be worth what little more we had to pay.”
Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT)*
“It’s so important to allow people, especially our more mature citizens, to stay in their homes,
where their loved ones can be near them, where they feel comfortable and where they can be
cared for in a much more economical way than in an institutional setting.”
Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS)*
“There are still too many individuals living in institutions. That is a terrible waste of human
resources. They would feel better, stay active longer, and perhaps live longer if they could
receive care in their communities.”
Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD)*
“Home health care agencies do such a wonderful job in this country helping people to be able
to remain at home and allowing them to receive services.”
Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI)*
What Government Officials Say About Home Health
“We need incentives for home healthcare as opposed to long term care. In my state of Arizona
we adopted a proposal which incentivizes health care providers to keep people in home health
care settings….It’s dramatically less expensive than long term care.”
Senator John McCain (R-AZ)*
“Home care increasingly is one of the basic building blocks in the developing system of long-
term care. On both economic and recuperative bases, home health care will continue to grow
as an essential service for individuals, for families, and for the community as a whole.”
Senator Olympia Snowe (R-ME)*
“One of the best possibilities for the future is found in home health care. Understandably, most
Americans prefer to stay in their own homes and remain independent for as long as possible.”
Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA)*
Including Support by Former Presidents:
“Heath care at home…is something we need more of, not less of. Let us make a commitment
to preventive and long-term care. Let us encourage home care as an alternative to nursing
homes and give folks a little help to have their parents there.”
Former President Bill Clinton*
“Health care in the home is as old as medical treatment itself. Today, it presents Americans
with important new opportunities. As in integrated part of our health care system, the home
setting can offer the comfort of familiar surroundings and the flexibility of personalized
treatment. It can preserve the dignity and independence of individuals and prevent or
postpone institutionalization for millions of patients each year. In a significant number of
cases, home care can even reduce the cost of medical treatment.”
Former President Ronald Reagan *
*All quotes sourced from the National Association for Home Care and Hospice unless otherwise noted.