Southern West Virginia News

Today, Congresswoman Carol Miller participated in a Ways and Means Health Subcommittee hearing focused on securing quality post-acute care for patients. The session titled "After the Hospital: Ensuring Access to Quality Post-Acute Care" addressed current legislative efforts to improve patient care outside hospital settings.

Congresswoman Miller highlighted the challenges faced by rural communities and introduced her bill, the Hospice Recertification Flexibility Act. "Rural patients, like my constituents in West Virginia, are disproportionately left without the critical support they need to recover after major illnesses and from surgeries," said Congresswoman Miller. She explained that her bill would allow hospice providers to use telehealth for required face-to-face visits during hospice recertification.

Paul Dongilli, CEO of Madonna Rehabilitation Hospitals, was invited by Congresswoman Miller to discuss how limited access affects rural patients and their families. "It is a very real issue for family members," Mr. Dongilli noted, emphasizing that treating patients involves supporting their families as well.

The discussion also covered reimbursement issues faced by long-term care hospitals (LTCHs). Congresswoman Miller's Patient Access to Long Term Care Hospitals Act aims to address these financial challenges by capping high-cost outlier amounts at $50,000. "Long-term care hospitals are critical for patients who require extended care," she stated.

Mr. Dongilli shared his experience with increased high-cost outlier thresholds impacting LTCHs' financial stability and patient access. He remarked on the shift from a 4% margin to a -3% due to changes in reimbursement policies, which has forced facilities like his own to limit admissions of high-cost cases.