Amendment #89 to H4000

A Comprehensive Study of Home Health Agencies

Ms. Hogan of Stow moves to amend the bill by adding the following new section:- SECTION XX. The Commissioner of the Department of Public Health and the Secretary of the Executive Office of Elder Affairs and the chairs’ designees, who shall serve as co-chairs, shall complete a comprehensive study of home health agencies in consultation with 4 representatives of the General Court, 1 appointed by the Speaker of the House; 1 appointed by the House Minority Leader, 1 appointed by the Senate President; and 1 appointed by the Senate Minority Leader, as well as a representative of the Home Care Alliance of Massachusetts. The study shall make recommendations regarding licensure and other means to ensure appropriate levels of high quality provision of home health care services in the Commonwealth. In addition the study shall identify the current numbers of home health care agencies operating in the Commonwealth and the number of home health care agencies in the Commonwealth certified by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

The final study and recommendations, including any recommended standards or regulations for licensing and the projected costs of implementing such recommendations, shall be reported to the House and Senate Committees on Ways and Means, the Joint Committee on Elder Affairs, the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing, the Joint Committee on Public Health, and the Health Planning Council as established pursuant to M.G.L. c. 6A, §16T by no later than January 30, 2015.