All Home care services Legislation - Federal Government

Home Health Care Planning Improvement Act of 2008 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to revise conditions of and limitations on payment for home health care services.

Allows payment for home health services to Medicare beneficiaries by: (1) a nurse practitioner; (2) a clinical nurse specialist working in collaboration with a physician in accordance with state law; (3) a certified nurse-midwife; or (4) a physician assistant under a physician's supervision.

Ensuring Home Health Care for Seniors Act of 2008 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to eliminate the prospective payment system (PPS) for home health services.

Establishes a new formula for payment of such services (other than a covered osteoporosis drug) as the lesser of: (1) the reasonable cost of such services; or (2) the customary charges for them.

Requires such services to be free of charge or at only a nominal charge if they are furnished by a public service provider or by another provider a significant portion of whose patients are low-income.

Medicare IVIG Access Act of 2008 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, upon collection of data and completion of a review, to provide, if appropriate, to physicians and hospitals furnishing intravenous immune globulins (IVIGs), an additional payment for all items related to the furnishing of IVIG in an appropriate amount.

Provides for coverage of IVIG administered in the home.

Makes disposable drug delivery systems, including elastomeric infusion pumps, for the treatment of colorectal cancer “durable medical equipment” for Medicare purposes.

(This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the House on May 15, 2008. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

Spina Bifida Health Care Program Expansion Act - Requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide comprehensive health care coverage through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for a child of a Vietnam veteran who is suffering from spina bifida. (Current law requires the Secretary to provide such child such health care as the Secretary determines is needed by the child for the spina bifida or any disability that is associated with such condition.)

Elderly Care Tax Act of 2008 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exempt recipients of home care services under federally-assisted state or local government home care programs for the elderly or disabled from payment of employment taxes for amounts paid to service providers. Imposes liability for payment of such taxes on the fiscal administrators of such programs.

Medicare Home Health Flexibility Act of 2008 - Permits a home health agency to determine the most appropriate skilled service to make the initial assessment visit for an individual who: (1) is eligible for home health services under title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act; but (2) does not require skilled nursing care as long as that skilled service is included as part of the plan of care for such services.

Permits an occupational therapist to make the initial assessment visit in such a case if occupational therapy is included in such plan in the initial physician referral in conjunction with physical therapy or speech language pathology services.

Medicare Part D Home and Community Services Copayment Equity Act of 2008 - Amends part D (Voluntary Prescription Drug Benefit Program) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to eliminate part D cost-sharing for certain non-institutionalized full-benefit dual eligible individuals with income below 135% of the poverty line who: (1) reside in an assisted living facility, a resident care program facility, a board and care facility, or any other appropriate licensed facility, including a community mental health center, a psychiatric health facility, a mental health rehabilitation center, and a mental retardation developmental disability facility; or (2) receive home and community-based services in a home setting under a home and community-based waiver.

Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that: (1) federal and state financial assistance should be increased, and access should be broadened, for publicly supported home and community-based services for individuals with disabilities; and (2) there should be implemented on both the federal and state levels more unified training and supervision standards for certified nurse aides and homecare aides.

Medicare Independent Living Act of 2007 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to eliminate the in-the-home restriction for Medicare coverage of mobility devices for individuals with expected long-term needs. Deems such devices to be durable medical equipment (DME) if they are used in customary settings for the purpose of normal domestic, vocational, or community activities.

Fair Home Health Care Act - Amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to exempt certain home health care workers who are employed on a casual basis from the minimum wage and maximum hour requirements under such Act. Defines employment on a "casual basis" as employment which is irregular or intermittent and does not exceed 20 hours per week in the aggregate.

Fair Home Health Care Act of 2007 - Amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to exempt certain home health care workers who are employed on a casual basis from the minimum wage and maximum hour requirements under such Act. Defines employment on a "casual basis" as employment which is irregular or intermittent and does not exceed 20 hours per week in the aggregate.

Healthy Children and Families Act of 2007 - Amends titles XIX (Medicaid) and XXI (State Children's Health Insurance) (SCHIP) of the Social Security Act to provide states with the option to provide evidence-based nurse home visitation services under Medicaid and the SCHIP programs.