The Trump administration along with Congress is working on changes to Medicare in order to provide additional benefits to chronically ill people and improve care for millions of Americans.
These changes tackle costly problems for people with multiple chronic diseases, which is how to deal with long-term illnesses that can build on one another and the social factors outside the reach of traditional medicine that can contribute to them. To help avoid these problems, the extra benefits would include home improvements like wheelchair ramps, transportation to doctor’s offices and home delivery of hot meals, The New York Times writes.
The legislation has been embraced by bipartisan members of Congress, in a rare instance of GOP-Democratic cooperation. Medicare officials and insurance companies have also shown their support for the law.
“This is a way to update and strengthen Medicare,” said Senator Ron Wyden, Democrat of Oregon and an architect of the law, the Chronic Care Act. “It begins a transformational change in the way Medicare works for seniors who suffer from chronic conditions. More of them will be able to receive care at home, so they can stay independent and out of the hospital.”
According to the chairman of the health policy department at Emory University, Kenneth E. Thorpe, people with five or more chronic conditions account for half of all Medicare patients and for 75 percent of Medicare spending.
“This is a big win for patients,” said Seema Verma, the administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Officials estimate that the new benefits which combine social and medical services will save money for Medicare by preventing other complications to patients’ health. They could also offer beneficiaries additional services such as visits by a personal assistant to help with bathing and dressing, visits by a nurse or a pharmacist to make sure a Medicare beneficiary is taking the right medicines and special supervised housing for people who cannot be left alone.
Be the first to comment