Toward meaningful reform. National Association for Home Care.

This paper was prepared by the National Association for Home Care, representing the nation's home care providers--including home care agencies, home care aide organizations, and hospices--and the individuals they serve. NAHC is committed to assuring the availability of humane, cost-effective, high-quality home care services to all individuals who require them. Toward this end, NAHC has long advocated the development of a national plan to ensure universal access to basic acute-care and long-term care services. This paper outlines the specific recommendations of NAHC to ensure the appropriate inclusion of home care and hospice services in health care reform proposals. NAHC believes that no health care proposal is complete without ensuring access to high-quality home care and hospice in both the acute and long-term care setting. These vital services provide millions of individuals--the aged, infirm, disabled, and children--the ability to receive care in the settings that allow them the highest level of satisfaction, independence, and dignity--in their homes.