Connecticut officials on Monday warned that Medicaid cuts outlined in a Congressional Republican plan would have devastating consequences, even though the changes stop short of the scenarios that would have most heavily impacted enrollee benefits and the state budget.

 

In a plan released on Sunday, House Republicans on the Energy and Commerce Committee provided details for the first time on how they propose to find $880 billion in spending cuts in order to meet the Trump administration’s budget priorities. Among other measures, the plan would implement 80 hours of work, volunteer or educational requirements a month for certain enrollees and freeze the hospital tax, a mechanism that enables states to increase the amount of Medicaid funding they receive from the federal government.

Legislation introduced by House Republicans late Sunday would slash Medicaid spending significantly by imposing new restrictions on Medicaid beneficiaries such as work requirements and more frequent eligibility checks, but the most controversial changes floated to the program were not included. 

 

The bill from the House Energy and Commerce Committee comes ahead of what’s expected to be a marathon committee hearing Tuesday. 

Last Thursday May 8th, Representative Rebecca Martinez (also a behavioral health home health nurse) hosted a press conference to focus on some key support to healthcare at home concerns and asks—nurse safety and Medicaid funding to support community-based, cost-effective care for those with behavioral health challenges.

 

Rep Martinez conveyed a strong commitment and message supporting all nurses but with a focus on those serving some of the most vulnerable living in the community with mental illness in need of frequent oversight and medication administration. The co-chairs of Human Services (Sen. Lesser and Rep. Gilchrest) along with the co-chair of the Public Health Committee (Sen. Anwar) echoed Rep. Martinez’s comments. 

 

President/CEO Tracy Wodatch advocated for our state legislature to stand by their words and commit to much-needed investment in the behavioral health home health rates as well as all care-at-home rates, which will result in more people served in the community setting at significant cost savings over institutional settings. 

Source: The Alliance, May 12, 2025

 

(Alexandria, VA and Washington, DC) – The National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance) issued the following statement in response to the upcoming markups of policies that will establish policies for the congressional reconciliation packages.

 

The ongoing conversations around potential reductions to Medicaid spending are increasingly concerning to the Alliance and our provider members that deliver home and community-based services (HCBS), hospice, and palliative care to children with serious health conditions, older adults, and people with disabilities. Although we recognize that leadership in the House and Senate have expressed support for preserving services to these populations, we do not believe that it is possible to reduce Federal Medicaid expenditures by hundreds of billions of dollars over a ten-year period without negatively impacting eligibility and access to care. The reasons for this include:

(Alexandria, VA and Washington, DC) — The National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance), the leading advocate and educator for the care at home community, is proud to announce the launch of its newly redesigned website, AllianceForCareAtHome.org. The new site reflects the Alliance’s commitment to innovation, accessibility, and delivering enhanced value to member organizations and all care at home stakeholders.  

 

Designed with user experience in mind, the new website features a modern interface, streamlined navigation, and improved access to essential information and services. Whether visiting from a desktop, laptop, or mobile device, users will enjoy faster load times, intuitive navigation menus, enhanced search functionality, and timely, engaging content relevant to Alliance members and other users.  

“We’re excited to introduce our new website as a digital reflection of who we are and where the Alliance is headed,” said CEO Dr. Steve Landers. “This redesign supports our mission to stay ahead of the technological curve and better serve our members and the growing care at home community.” 

A system error following a change request effective April 1, 2025, is causing certain home health claims to be erroneously returned to providers, says Mary Carr, vice president of regulatory affairs at The Alliance for Care at Home.

 

The issue has been noted when dementia is the primary diagnosis, Carr says. This is an error within the CMS system and Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) are being instructed to apply a workaround to these claims, she says.

A revised hospice Special Focus Program is coming, and providers should make sure they have plans and procedures in place to be successful under this strict oversight program, Linda Woodle, director of accreditation at Community Health Accreditation Partner (CHAP), and Patricia D’Arena, vice president of clinical excellence at Enhabit Home Health and Hospice, said Wednesday during the Axxess AGILE conference in Dallas.

 

“We need to always have the mindset of being ready,” D’Arena said. “We know that a surveyor can come at any time, for many different reasons. … So, why not be proactive?”

May is National Nurses Month, a time to recognize and celebrate the extraordinary contributions of nurses across the country. Nurses are at the heart of healthcare, providing compassionate care, expert guidance, and unwavering support to patients and their families. This month, we honor the dedication, skill, and sacrifice nurses bring to their profession daily. From frontline workers to those in specialized care, nurses are the backbone of our healthcare system, and their role in improving the health and well-being of our communities cannot be overstated. During National Nurses Month, we celebrate these healthcare heroes for their tireless efforts to make a difference in the lives of others.

 

This month, we are proud to spotlight Ms. Alma Flowers, a dedicated Registered Nurse at Community Hospice & Palliative Care, whose remarkable career spans an impressive 62 years. Alma's journey began at the Brewster Duval School of Nursing in Jacksonville in 1959, marking the start of a lifelong commitment to compassionate care and professional excellence.