The Congressional letter asking the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to rescind its prior authorization demonstration notice for the Medicare home health benefit was finalized yesterday with bipartisan support from 116 Members of Congress. The final letter, which can be read here, was aside from TAHCH, supported by the American Hospital Association (AHA), the Federation of American Hospitals (FAH), the American Medical Association (AMA), the Partnership for Home Health, the National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC), and the Visiting Nurse Associations of America (VNAA).
Grassroot outreach and TAHCH’s lobbying presence in DC ensured the support of a large portion of the Texas delegation. TAHCH members began raising awareness of the prior authorization demonstration to Congress during our annual March on Washington trip in April. Following that, TAHCH members have contacted federal Representatives across Texas over 300 times since the letter began circulating Congress Monday of last week. If you would like to receive action alerts when state and federal policies need a grassroot response, please sign up as a TAHCH advocate.
The 20 members of the Texas delegation who co-signed this important letter were Chairman Mike Conaway (R-11-Midland), Chairman Mac Thornberry (R-13-Amarillo), Chairman Lamar Smith (R-21-San Antonio), Chairman Pete Sessions (R-32-Dallas), Chairman Jeb Hensarling (R-5-Dallas), Chairman Mike McCaul (R-10-Austin), Rep. Brian Babin (R-36-Woodville), Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-1-Tyler), Rep. Will Hurd (R-23-San Antonio), Rep. Kenny Marchant (R-24-Irving), Rep. Neugebauer (R-19-Lubbock), Rep. Pete Olson (R-22-Sugar Land), Rep. Ted Poe (R-2-Humble), Rep. John Culberson (R-7-Houston), Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-4-Heath), Rep. Sam Johnson (R-3-Plano), Rep. Eddie Berenice Johnson (D-30-Dallas), Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-18-Houston), Rep. Roger Williams (R-25-Austin) and Rep. Randy Weber (R-14-Beaumont).
The original announcement of the prior authorization demonstration in 5 states including Texas can be found in the Federal Register. TAHCH responded in opposition to the announcement April 1, 2016.