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As Virginians try to digest the various changes in Medicare coverage that national health care reform proposes, we ask that they communicate with their legislators to reinforce that Home Care is part of the solution in lowering health care costs. Also, long term care needs to be addressed as an integral part of Medicare coverage as the population ages.  Already 10 million people need help with activities of daily living and need long term home care. Home health care’s ability to provide long term care has been an afterthought in Medicare coverage legislation.  Medicaid funds more than 40% of all long-term care and most of those beneficiaries must live in nursing homes to receive funding. Only 7 million people currently have long term care insurance, while over 250 million have acute care insurance.    Neither Medicare or medigap supplementary insurance covers long-term services, and only 6 percent of those over 45 have private long-term care insurance.   It is truly an urgent matter that will affect the quality of life for most of us.  Please write or email your legislators about the importance of Home Health Care to Virginians as being part of the solution.  Your language could include: “The goal of health care for all should not come at the expense of frail elderly and disabled homebound Medicare beneficiaries receiving home health services. Home health services preserve independence, keep families together, and save Medicare dollars by keeping beneficiaries out of hospitals and nursing homes. Please oppose home health cuts and include long term care in your proposal.” You can make a difference!Nurses are coming back into the work force as the downturn in the economy has taken a toll on family incomes. Many nurses who have been retired want to reenter the workforce on part time basis, but usually do not have that option at a health care facility. Home health care is a more viable option for part time work, and is seeing a resurgence of job applications. Interestingly, home health is often more physically demanding. Home care nurses are required to do more lifting and moving without the help of equipment found at a hospital. The more physical style of homebound patient care is due to the fact that these patients are often older and less ambulatory. Previously retired nurses are finding that the flexibility of home care available in a part time position allows them to keep up with other obligations in their life, and reenter the workforce slowly while gaining experience in a specific field that is both challenging and rewarding.

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