CAITLIN R. KING
Missouri News Network
The Committee for Seniors, Families, Veterans & Military Affairs held a hearing for a bill that would expand provisions to home health licensing Wednesday morning.
Sponsored by Sen. Justin Brown, R-Rolla, Senate Bill 177 would eliminate the requirement for “a physician to sign off on home health certification or for Medicare to approve the care” and would instead “allow a nurse practitioner physician assistant to certify home health at the time it is needed … and allow patients a right to choose their home as a place to recover.”
Only allowing a physician to sign off on home health care “results in delays,” Brown said. “These delays in getting signatures and therefore delays in care can worsen a chronic condition [and cause] unnecessary emergency room visits.”