Home Health & Hospice Week

Home care providers are feeling hopeful after President Barack Obama's second nomination for the head of the Department of Health and Human Services.

After former Sen. Tom Daschle withdrew from consideration for HHS secretary due to tax issues, Obama has taken nearly a month to put forth a new nominee. However, his choice could augur well for home care, one trade group says.

"Kathleen Sebelius has a remarkable intellect, unquestioned integrity, and the kind of pragmatic wisdom you'll tend to find in a Kansan," the president said in nominating the Kansas governor for the position.

In the past, Sebelius has expressed appreciation for the National Association for Home Care & Hospice's commitment to improving the availability of home care and hospice, NAHC reports.

NAHC's Val Halamandaris, who has worked with Sebelius in various politically appointed positions, says he is "happy and joyful" at her nomination. "There is no finer person on the planet."

Sebelius's record in her home state is a promising sign, notes Bob Wardwell with the Visiting Nurse Associations of America. "You can tell a lot by a state's Medicaid program's commitment to HCBS services," Wardwell tells Eli. "Since Kansas has an active program and it achieves cost savings,one can be sure the potential value of home care is known to the governor."

Providers hope to see a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services head appointed not long after confirmation. The secretary will "need to huddle with the White House and reach consensus on a candidate," Wardwell notes. They'll pick "someone who is squeaky clean and has a history of support for health care reform," he expects.

On the other hand: HHAs are not as happy about Obama's choice to lead the White House Office for Health Reform, however. The president has tapped former CMS Administrator Nancy Ann DeParle for the spot. "She saw the big picture in the Clinton administration, where she handled health care budget issues and managed Medicare and Medicaid," he said in announcing her appointment.

DeParle is a target of antipathy from home care providers, since she presided over the interim payment system that wiped out nearly one-third of HHAs. She has since served on the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, which has recommended HHA rate cuts every year she's been a Commissioner.

DeParle "in the late 90s did nothing to help home care and thought all providers were crooks," blasts consultant Tom Boyd with Boyd & Nicholas in Rohnert Park, Calif. "She was a poor manager and never listened to providers or their trade groups."

"It is scary that she is going to be in charge of health care reform," Boyd tells Eli.