To the editor:

Millions of seniors across the United States rely on Medicare home health to remain in their homes and receive necessary skilled health care services. However, a new Medicare payment model threatens to restrict access to care for America’s most vulnerable seniors who depend on these services.

If implemented, this payment model will cut Medicare home health by 8.01 percent — equaling more than $1.298 billion in 2020 alone — based purely on assumptions about changes in provider behaviors under the new system.

Fortunately, Congress has recently taken action to protect home health by introducing the bipartisan Home Health Payment Innovation Act (S.433 & H.R. 2573). Now that our lawmakers have returned to Washington following the summer recess, I hope they will take swift action to pass this vital legislation to protect our state’s seniors.

Treva Thompson

Chesapeake