Both chambers of Congress passed legislation this week to keep the government funded through Feb. 18. Home health agencies and other Medicare stakeholders are worried, however, about a potential 6% cut that could be coming down the pike, reports Home Health Care News.
The cuts come in the form of Medicare sequestration and PAYGO.
Signed into law in 2011, Medicare sequestration is a savings mechanism that aims to decrease the U.S. deficit by roughly $1.2 trillion over a decade. Medicare sequestration means an automatic 2% cut for all health care providers, including home health agencies, paid through Medicare.
Due to the public health emergency, Medicare sequestration had previously been put on pause. Read more.