A bill introduced Oct. 6 in the U.S. House of Representatives would delay implementation of the Home Health Groupings Model (HHGM) by one year.
 
H.R. 3992 was filed by Rep. Kristi Noem, R-S.D. It was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, as well as to the Committee on Energy and Commerce.
 
The bill would delay HHGM until Jan. 1, 2020.
 
In the 2018 proposed PPS rule for home health, CMS sought to begin HHGM in 2019. The proposed rule drew more than 1,300 comments, many of which opposed HHGM.
 
ElevatingHOME strongly opposes Noem's bill, which also extends the rural add-on for five years. 
 
"The five-year extension is not enough to offset the close to $4 billion cut the industry will see under the untested HHGM," ElevatingHOME says in a statement. "ElevatingHOME, in their work with members, believes that HHGM will result in a 17% reduction in payments."
 
The bill, according to ElevatingHOME, "also ignores the larger concern that HHGM is being implemented without testing or collaboration with the home health industry."